Healthcare Safety Toolkit Library

This toolkit contains helpful resources to assist in improving processes associated with pressure ulcers. These processes include identification of high-risk patients and prevention of pressure ulcers as well as facilitating improved documentation of existing pressure ulcers.

Developing and implementing a quality improvement program in healthcare is a complex process with many challenges. Specifically designed with acute care and critical access hospitals in mind, this toolkit features resources necessary to create an effective quality improvement program. A quality improvement program requires input from all aspects of an organization including the board of directors, executive leadership, bedside healthcare providers and physicians along with patients and their families.

The resources available in the Quality-Patient Safety Toolkit include:

• Tactics to develop and implement a quality improvement plan
• How to include patients and their families
• How to identify monitoring opportunities
• How to review processes when an issue arises

Healthcare organizations have high rates of occupational injuries due to handling, moving and transferring patients. Safe patient handling equipment, resources and protocols can help reduce injuries such as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This toolkit provides resources to assist in reducing occupational injuries and improve patient care. If your organization is considering developing or revising a comprehensive safe patient handling program, the resources provided will assist in incorporating the best practices, policy templates and tools to help ensure success.

This toolkit offers recommendations in organizing a sepsis identification program to improve the safety and outcomes of patients while also offering tools to help improve performance and raise staff awareness of the best practices for sepsis and septic shock. Materials presented in this toolkit help practitioners implement clinical practice guidelines related to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign.

This toolkit provides practical guides to reduction of Surgical Site Infection. The guides have been developed by experts and offer information on ways to improve processes and implement evidence-based interventions. Other resources and literature are also provided which provide scientific evidence to support interventions proven to prevent surgical site infections.

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technology to provide clinical healthcare from a distant site. While more convenient and accessible for patients, practitioners face a number of challenges during implementation. This toolkit has been designed to assist our members in implementing a successful telemedicine program by providing guidance in the following areas: policy and procedure, consent, legal regulation, self-site assessment and performance improvement.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends these best practices to reduce the risk of fires occurring during surgical procedures.

A checklist to help the risk manager or safety director identify hazards that lead to slips, trips, and falls. The items in the checklist are designed around common causes of visitor falls within and outside of an organization. Use this checklist as a routine rounding tool.

Sample outcome measures that can be used to measure the success of your SPHM program. This document contains both examples of short and long term measures that can be put in place. Each sample measure includes what it is expected to evaluate and the numerator and denominator that should be collected to calculate the compliance.

LMGMA provides resources for medical practices and their leadership in Louisiana including educational events, networking opportunities and problem solving solutions.

LSNA provides resources for Registered Nurses consisting of information, events, professional development and health policy.

LHATF provides insurance solutions for healthcare facilities and physicians throughout the state of Louisiana. The insurance solutions consist of professional liability, general liability and workers' compensation resources and patient, employee and physician resources.

COVID-19 has created chaos in the healthcare industry. The rapid spread of this deadly virus and a lack of resources compounded with the economic insecurity caused by stay-at-home orders has created fear throughout Louisiana communities. Healthcare security is of the utmost importance during times of uncertainty and fear.

Healthcare facility services are an integral part of the patient care processes. Resources provide recommendations on patient flow, isolation processes and emergency management and security processes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Environmental services is an important role in dealing with COVID-19 since maintaining a clean environment is important to reduce the transmission of the virus. Guidelines are provided to assist healthcare organizations with their environmental services processes.

Providing continued service to patients with the expectation of surges and concerns of ongoing safety is one of the challenges healthcare professionals encountered during this pandemic. The following materials provide guidance, toolkits, and action plans on how to overcome these obstacles.

Personal liability is always a concern in today's world when caring for others. The following information reviews terms, requirements, and provisions for staff to maintain while performing within the appropriate scope of practice when faced with a pandemic.

Telehealth services offer medical care for patients in the safety of their own homes. Expansion of telehealth services was identified with the onset of the Coronavirus. The following resources include steps, guides, a playbook, and many materials to help healthcare workers implement this service, provide answers to the challenges confronted, and see the benefits involved.