National patient safety goals Nursing care centers

Identify residents correctly

Use at least two ways to identify patients or residents.

Example: patient’s or resident’s name and date of birth

Use medicines safely

Take extra care with patients and residents who take medications to thin their blood.

Record and pass along correct information about a patient’s or resident’s medications. Find out what medications the patient or resident is taking. Compare those medications to new medications given to the patient or resident. Give the patient or resident written information about the medications they need to take. Tell the patient or resident it is important to bring their up-to-date list of medications every time they visit a doctor.

Prevent infection 

Use the hand hygiene guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization. Set goals for improving hand cleaning.

Prevent residents from falling

Find out which patients and residents are most likely to fall. For example, is the patient or resident taking any medicines that might make them weak, dizzy, or sleepy? Take action to prevent falls for these patients and residents.

Prevent pressure injuries

Find out which patients and residents are most likely to have pressure injuries. Take action to prevent pressure injuries in these patients and residents. Per agency protocol, recheck patients and residents frequently for pressure injuries.