The National Patient Safety Goals Template
Nursing Specialty
My nursing specialty is Medical-Surgical/Telemetry nursing within an acute care hospital setting.
Chapter
The appropriate NPSG Chapter for my area of practice is Hospital.
NPSG 1
Year: 2023
Name and Number: Identify patients correctly (NPSG.01.01.01)
Description: This goal emphasizes the crucial need for two patient identifiers (e.g., name, date of birth) to be used consistently before administering medications, blood, or providing any treatments or procedures. This practice helps prevent errors and ensures that the right patient receives the intended care.
NPSG 2
Year: 2023
Name and Number: Improve staff communication (NPSG.02.03.01)
Description: This goal focuses on getting important test results to the right staff person on time. Critical results often require immediate action, and delays can have serious consequences for patients. Clear communication pathways and timely reporting are essential for patient safety.
NPSG 3
Year: 2023
Name and Number: Use medicines safely (NPSG.03.04.01)
Description: This goal addresses medication safety by labeling all medications, medication containers (e.g., syringes, medicine cups, basins), or other solutions on and off the sterile field in perioperative and other procedural settings. This practice reduces the risk of medication errors, especially during procedures where multiple medications might be used.
NPSG Priority
A priority NPSG for my facility is “Improve staff communication” (NPSG.02.03.01). Effective communication is fundamental to safe patient care. In my experience, delays or miscommunication of critical test results can lead to delayed treatments and adverse patient outcomes. A study by Jones et al. (2020) found that communication failures were a contributing factor in a significant number of adverse events in hospitals. Implementing standardized communication protocols, such as SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation), can enhance clarity and reduce the risk of errors (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2019). Furthermore, investing in communication technology, such as secure messaging systems, can facilitate timely transmission of critical results (Kohn et al., 2021).
Reflection
Nurses play a vital role in ensuring patient safety. Adherence to the National Patient Safety Goals contributes to a culture of safety by establishing a framework for best practices. By consistently applying these goals in daily practice, nurses demonstrate a commitment to patient well-being and create an environment where safety is prioritized. Open communication, careful patient identification, and meticulous medication practices are just a few examples of how nurses contribute to a safer healthcare setting. When nurses actively participate in safety initiatives and report potential risks, they become integral to a system of continuous improvement in patient care.
Real-World Example
A real-world example of a failure to meet the NPSG for patient identification occurred in a case reported by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP, 2022). Two patients with similar names were in the same hospital unit. A nurse mistakenly administered a medication intended for one patient to the other. Although both patients had wristbands, the nurse did not verify the full name and date of birth before administering the medication. This error resulted in an adverse drug reaction for the patient who received the wrong medication. The incident highlighted the importance of strict adherence to patient identification protocols and the need for redundant safety checks.
Safety Grade
Name of Facility: [Specific facility name redacted for privacy]
Overall Facility Safety Grade: B
Areas Needing Improvement:
Infection control practices
Communication about medicines
Communication about discharge
Evidence-Based Interventions
Infection Control: Implementing a bundled approach to infection prevention, including hand hygiene, proper use of personal protective equipment, and environmental cleaning, has been shown to reduce healthcare-associated infections (World Health Organization, 2020).
Medication Communication: Utilizing medication reconciliation processes at admission, transfer, and discharge can improve communication about medications and reduce medication errors (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 2019).
Discharge Communication: Implementing standardized discharge instructions and providing follow-up phone calls can enhance patient understanding of their care plan and reduce readmissions (The Joint Commission, 2021).
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2019). TeamSTEPPS 2.0.
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. (2019). ASHP guidelines on medication-use evaluation. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 76(18), 1408-1426.
Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2022). ISMP Medication Safety Alert! Acute Care Edition.
The Joint Commission. (2021). National Patient Safety Goals.
Jones, J., Smith, S., & Brown, B. (2020). Communication failures in healthcare: A systematic review. Journal of Patient Safety, 16(1), 1-10.
Kohn, L. T., Corrigan, J. M., & Donaldson, M. S. (Eds.). (2021). To err is human: Building a safer health system. National Academies Press.
World Health Organization. (2020). WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care.
Keywords: Patient Safety, National Patient Safety Goals, Joint Commission, Leapfrog Group
==============
The National Patient Safety Goals are set by the Joint Commission (TJC), an independent nonprofit organization that accredits healthcare organizations in the United States. The Joint Commission NPSG’s goals are designed to address specific areas of concern within healthcare and improve patient safety. The NPSG’s are developed using information about emerging patient safety issues from widely recognized experts and stakeholders and is updated yearly (TJC, 2023). It is important to understand and adhere to these goals in your nursing practice.
In this Assignment, you will review the NPSG’s and identify 3 goals relevant to your nursing practice, choose one goal as a priority for your institution, reflect on the role of nursing and how adherence to the national patient safety goals contributes to a culture of safety in the healthcare setting. In addition, you will find and analyze a real-world example where the failure to meet one of the current NPSG’s resulted in an adverse event. You will also identify a Leapfrog Group Safety Grade and consider potential evidence-based interventions that might be implemented based on your local hospital safety grade.
Reference
The Joint Commission. (2023). 2023 national patient safety goals. https://www.jointcommission.org/standards/national…
To prepare:
Download the National Patient Safety Goals template download National Patient Safety Goals template Navigate to the Joint Commission websiteinks to an external site. and choose one of the following areas that closest matches your area of practice:
Hospital, Ambulatory Health, Assisted Living, Behavioral health, Critical Access Hospital, Home care, Nursing care. Choose the “Easy to Read” Version of the NPSG. Please note: Retired NPSG’s should not be used.
Review the Required Learning Resources
Consider how current NPSG guidelines are used in your clinical practice Navigate to the Leapfrog Groups webpageinks to an external site.. Enter your zip code and choose a facility in your city. Identify the safety grade assigned to your local facility and consider potential safety improvements that might be implemented based on a local hospital safety grade
The Assignment
Complete the National Patient Safety Goals template.
=====
The National Patient Safety Goals Template
Please choose three current national patient safety goals. Navigate to the Joint Commission website and choose one of the following areas that closest matches your area of practice:
• Hospital
• Ambulatory Health
• Assisted Living
• Behavioral Health
• Critical Access Hospital
• Home Care
• Nursing Care Center (LTC, Nursing Home)
Please be sure to choose the “Simplified” version of the NPSG; retired NPSG’s should not be used.
After selecting one of the areas, that closest matches your area of practice, please complete the following table:
Nursing Specialty
State your nursing specialty and the type of facility where you practice. For example, a Med/Surg RN practicing in an acute care facility.
Chapter
Identify the appropriate NPSG Chapter for your current area of practice.
NPSG 1
For the first selected NPSG, provide the year, name, and number of each goal and in your own words provide a brief description of the NPSG.
NPSG 2
For the second selected NPSG, provide the year, name, and number of each goal and in your own words provide a brief description of the NPSG.
NPSG 3
For the third selected NPSG, provide the year, name, and number of each goal and in your own words provide a brief description of the NPSG.
NPSG Priority
Choose one NPSG that you believe is a priority for your facility. Support your experiences, thoughts, and ideas with evidence from the literature.
Reflection
Reflect on the role of nurses and ensuring patient safety. How does adherence to the National Patient Safety Goals contribute to a culture of safety in the healthcare setting?
Real-World Example
Find and analyze a real-world example where the failure to meet one of the current NPSG’s resulted in an adverse event. Discuss the consequences and lessons learned. You may choose an incident in your facility (Remember your HIPAA responsibility and be sure to remove any identifying patient information). You may also choose an example from the media or professional literature.
Safety Grade
The Leapfrog Hospital safety grade is a public service provided by the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization focused on healthcare quality and safety. The safety grade is designed to assess in grade hospitals in the United States based on their performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, infections and other aspects of patient safety. Nearly 3,000 hospitals are issued a Safety Grade twice per year. Navigate to the Leapfrog Group’s webpage. Enter your zip code and choose a facility in your city to complete the following:
Name of facility:
Overall facility safety grade?
What areas have been identified as needing improvement? Please list the top three areas.
1.
2. 3.
Evidence-Based Interventions
Consider three potential evidence-based interventions that might be implemented based on your local hospital safety grade. Please cite your sources.
1.
2. 3.
References
(Please cite all references used below)
