Healthcare Safety Toolkit Library

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center describes their journey from FMEA through performance improvement in reduction of adverse events related to over-sedation from opioid administration. This article offers best practices, challenges faced, solutions identified and the outcomes achieved through an interdisciplinary project which led to positive patient outcomes.

Johns-Hopkins Hospital describes their organization's successful continuous patient monitoring project. The organization’s philosophy was that no patient should suffer a failure-to-rescue event and they set out to implement processes to achieve that goal. This article describes how they used technology to improve patient outcomes and failure-to-rescue events related to over-sedation.

An evidence-based, objective sedation scale that can be used to determine a patient’s level of sedation. The scale helps you rank patients from combative through non-arousable states.

Sample policy and dosing guidelines for pain management in the pediatric population developed by Children’s Minnesota using the WHO Guidelines as a reference. This sample addresses the use of opioids, non-opioid medications and alternative therapy treatment based on the level of pain in a pediatric patient.

The Institute of Medicine has defined an ADE as an “injury resulting from medical intervention related to a drug.” It’s estimated that one-third of all adverse hospital events are related to ADEs, resulting in almost two million hospital visits annually. Each year, serious adverse events, including fatalities, occur due specifically to the misuse of intravenously administered opioids in hospitals.

This letter from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) outlines the requirements for hospital medication administration, particularly IV medications and post-operative care of patients receiving intravenous opioids.

This worksheet is a component of the Guide to Developing and Managing Overdose Prevention and Take-Home Naloxone Projects, produced by Harm Reduction Coalition. It offers key points to consider and address when engaging with medical professionals and discussing an opioid management program for their hospital or clinic.

Healthcare organizations should take the possiblity of an active shooter event occuring in their facility very seriously. These resources provide key tactics on managing violent and disruptive behavior as a risk reduction process.

Active shooter training is vital for all staff in a healthcare organization as they are the eyes and ears of the facility. These resources help ensure staff are trained and prepared to address violent/aggressive behavior/situations.