Patient Safety and Environmental Safety in Healthcare (Vocabulary)

Set of vocabulary flashcards covering key safety concepts, hazards, regulatory bodies, and risk assessment topics from the lecture notes.

Patient safety

Efforts to prevent errors and adverse effects associated with health care and to reduce risk of harm to patients.

Culture of safety

An organizational culture that prioritizes safety, encouraging reporting, collaboration, and system-wide improvements.

National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) 2025

A set of focus areas by the Joint Commission to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety in hospitals.

Joint Commission

Regulatory body that develops NPSGs and inspects health care organizations to promote safety.

CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

Regulatory agency that enforces safety standards and quality practices in health care facilities.

Two patient identifiers

Using at least two identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) to verify a patient’s identity before procedures or medication administration.

Improve communication

Ensuring timely and accurate sharing of patient information and critical test results to prevent harm.

Standard precautions

A set of infection control practices used to prevent transmission of diseases during patient care.

Hand hygiene

Effective handwashing or sanitizing to reduce pathogen transmission and prevent infections.

HAIs (health care–associated infections)

Infections acquired in a health care setting, not present on admission.

Immunization

Vaccinations that prevent infectious diseases; applicable to children and adults based on risk and guidelines.

TB skin test (Mantoux)

Screening test for tuberculosis exposure used in health care workers and at-risk populations.

SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)

Sudden unexpected death of an infant; prevented by safe sleep practices (back to sleep).

Safe sleep for infants

Place babies on their backs on a firm mattress with no pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, or bumpers.

Oxygen safety

Proper use, storage, and handling of supplemental oxygen to prevent fires and hazards.

CO monitoring

Carbon monoxide monitoring in homes to detect dangerous CO levels, especially with fuel-burning devices.

Nutrition and food safety

Meeting nutritional needs and preventing foodborne illness through proper storage, handling, and preparation.

Temperature safety

Maintaining safe environmental temperatures to avoid frostbite, heat illness, and dehydration.

Common hazards

Leading causes of unintentional injuries: motor vehicle accidents, poisoning, falls, fire, disasters/bioterrorism.

MVA (motor vehicle accidents)

Injury events from vehicle crashes; higher risk in ages 16–19 and some older adults.

Poison

Any substance that impairs health or causes death if ingested, inhaled, absorbed, or injected.

Lead exposure

Risk in older homes (built before ~1978) due to lead paint and materials.

Falls

Event resulting in a person ending up on the ground or lower level; major cause of injury and death; risk factors are intrinsic and extrinsic.

Fire safety

Prevention and response to fires; RACE protocol used in health care settings.

RACE

Fire safety mnemonic: Rescue the patient, Activate the alarm, Contain the fire (and evacuate if safe).

Disaster preparedness

Planning and training for natural and bioterrorism events; annual disaster training for staff.

Bioterrorism

Non-natural threats (e.g., bioterror attacks) requiring isolation and specialized response in health care.

Transmission of pathogens

Spread of disease via contact, droplet, or airborne routes; emphasis on hand hygiene and precautions.

PPE (personal protective equipment)

Protective gear used to prevent exposure to infectious agents and hazardous substances.

Standard precautions in practice

Universal precautions applied to all patients to reduce risk of transmission.

Immunization policy and exemptions

Public health strategy to promote vaccines; exemptions may exist for medical or religious reasons.

Universal protocol

Safety process to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient surgery; includes time-out.

Time-out

Pre-procedure pause where the team confirms patient identity, procedure, and site before starting.

Right patient, right procedure, right site

Core elements of universal protocol to prevent wrong-site or wrong-procedure errors.

Speak Up campaign

Joint Commission/CMS initiative encouraging patients to voice safety concerns.

NQF (National Quality Forum) standards

Endorsed standards used by hospitals to improve safety and quality.

Sentinel events

Serious, unanticipated events (never events) that require immediate investigation and remediation.

Never events

Preventable errors that should not occur in health care (e.g., wrong-site surgery).

Restraints

Devices or procedures used to restrict a patient’s movement; last resort and must be medically justified with monitoring.

Side rails

Bed rails that can protect or pose entrapment risk; used with caution and aligned with policy.

Fall risk assessment tools

Validated tools to predict fall risk (e.g., Hendrick II Fall Risk Model, Morse Fall Scale, Humpty Dumpty).

Fall prevention interventions

Strategies like locking brakes, lowering bed, keeping call light in reach, clearing clutter, and positioning aids.

Post-fall assessment

Reassessing a patient’s risk after a fall or after a transfer or condition change.

Home hazard assessment

Evaluating the patient’s home for safety risks (bathroom, kitchen, stairs, lighting, detectors).

Poison control contact

Call the poison control center if exposure to a hazardous substance is suspected.

Child safety proofing

Protective measures at home: outlet covers, secure storage of medicines, choking hazards avoided.

Internet safety for youth

Educating adolescents about online safety, privacy, and recognizing unsafe online interactions.

Caregiver health literacy and resources

Assessing caregivers’ ability to understand safety information and providing appropriate resources.

Disaster preparedness in home health

Assessing home environments and planning for large-scale emergencies and evacuations.

Health care equity

Efforts to reduce disparities in access to quality care across socioeconomic groups.

Developmental Stage: Infant, Toddler, Preschooler

SIDs,

Poisoning, Choking, Aspiration

• Injuries = leading cause of death over 1 year

• Falls, Burns, Drowning

Developmental Stage: School Aged Child

• More confidence, less supervision

• New environments and people

• Expanded motor activities

• School violence

Developmental Stage: Adolescence

More independence, identity

• Peer pressure

• Hormones

• Substance abuse

• Suicide

• Motor vehicle accidents

Developmental Stage: Adult

• Lifestyle habits

⚬ Stress

⚬ Substance use

⚬ Smoking

Developmental Stage: Older Adult

• Falls

• Cognitive decline

• Dementia

• Mind wandering