Fire Prevention Week

What We Can Learn From Fire Prevention Week

It was Fire Prevention Week.  Did you notice all the school fire drills?  Everyone left the building, moved away and waited for direction. 

I happened to be in a class in NY City teaching high school kids about patient advocacy / safety when the alarm sounded.  First there was an announcement to be prepared for the alarms and everyone must use the stairs to leave the building.  (I was not thrilled to be on the 3rd floor).  The children, teachers and administration all followed in order and walked to the other side of the street.  Everyone was quiet and behaved.  When some of the teachers gave the signal, hundreds of people walked back into the school and to their classes.

It makes me wonder again why everyone is involved in so many safety issues except patient safety.

Imagine if an announcement came over the loudspeakers at noon in the hospital. 

“Patients please make sure all staff are washing their hands.  Patients make sure you know what medications you are being given and that includes the IV bag as well as the pills in the cups with no labels (that are supposed to be labeled). Hospital staff, be sure the patient’s tray tables are within reach and you are not disrupted when getting your patients medication.”

Nah, will never happen – besides patients need to rest……….