Hospital Patient Safety Program Success Inspires Pilot Program for Nursing Home Safety

Health professionals in Hartford, Conn., have created a program for improving patient safety in nursing homes through reduction of human error, according to a report from The Courant.

The program is called TeamSTEPPS for Long-Term Care and consists of evidence-based team training for nursing staff. The basic program protocols, TeamSTEPPS, were first designed by the United States Department of Defense and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

The nursing home program is inspired by the success of TeamSTEPPS implementation in hospitals.

Preliminary results for adoption of TeamSTEPPS in hospitals show institutions that implement the program have 16 percent less operating room nursing turnover, 36 percent fewer medication errors at discharge, 40 percent fewer patients experiencing adverse drug reactions and 50 percent shorter mean intensive care unit stays. 

More Articles on Quality: 

Study: ADHD Drug Reduces Falls in Older Patients

Hospital Compare Posts Risk-Adjusted PCI Rates for First Time

Report: Healthcare is Most Dangerous Workplace for Employees