NCLEX STYLE: Chapter 21: Safety

According to Webster’s definition, safety means being free from what?

Hurt, injury, or loss

Safety is considered what type of need for humans?

Basic

Nurses are responsible for attending to the safety needs of which groups?

Clients and healthcare workers, including themselves

What organization publishes the National Patient Safety Goals each year?

The Joint Commission

What initiative by the American Nurses Association focuses on improving safety and quality in nursing education?

QSEN (Quality and Safety Education for Nurses)

Which developmental group is at greatest risk because they cannot recognize danger and depend completely on others?

Infants and toddlers

Which developmental group is more adventurous, often extending play outdoors?

Preschoolers

School-age children are at risk because they may try new activities without what?

Supervision

Why are adolescents at higher risk for injuries?

They feel indestructible and engage in risk-taking behaviors

Workplace injuries, lifestyle choices, and declining stamina most affect which age group?

Adults

Loss of muscle strength, joint mobility, and slowed reflexes are major safety risks for which group?

Older adults

What environmental hazard is the leading cause of unintentional poisoning in homes?

Household chemicals and medicines

What is the immediate treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning?

100% humidified oxygen

What is the most common cause of scalds and burns in the home?

Hot water and grease

What safety measure prevents cooking-related burns?

Turning pot handles inward

Fires in the home are most often linked to what?

Cooking accidents and heating equipment

What is the single most important prevention measure for home fires?

Installing smoke alarms

Falls are most prevalent in which population?

Adults over 65 years old

What home modification can prevent falls in older adults?

Nonskid shoes, grab bars, and proper lighting

Children between ages 0–4 are most at risk for what safety hazard?

Drowning

A nurse teaching parents about suffocation prevention would include what?

Cut food into small pieces and avoid cords or plastic bags

What is the best way to prevent take-home toxins?

Showering and removing work clothing before coming home

What is the most effective way to prevent firearm injuries in the home?

Locked storage with ammunition stored separately

The leading cause of unintentional death in the community is related to what?

Motor vehicle accidents

Proper use of insect repellent, draining standing water, and protective clothing reduce risks from what hazard?

Vector-borne pathogens

What is the best prevention strategy for weather-related hazards?

Developing a disaster plan and identifying shelter

Events that should never occur in a healthcare facility, such as surgery on the wrong site, are called what?

Never events

When a facility performs a “root cause analysis,” what are they trying to identify?

The underlying cause of an error or near miss

What is the purpose of promoting a culture of safety?

Encouraging open communication and error reporting without punishment

What intervention is the first step in preventing falls in healthcare facilities?

Completing a fall risk assessment

What does “alarm fatigue” in hospitals refer to?

Nurses ignoring frequent monitor alarms

Proper disposal of sharps is most important for preventing what?

Needlestick injuries

The best prevention for back injuries in healthcare workers is practicing what?

Proper body mechanics

What is the nurse’s role after any accident or near miss occurs?

Report the event according to facility policy

What safety teaching should a nurse provide for reducing pollution?

Recycle and use environmentally safe products