Verifying patient ID key Coastal deliverable for June 2015 Accreditation
During Nursing Week, sometimes it’s worth our time to go “back to the basics”, reminding ourselves of some of the essential practices that nurses cover off almost automatically some days.
One of these nursing basics that Accreditation Canada surveyors are going to be looking for from staff when they’re here in Coastal from June 22 – 26, 2015 is ensuring we check two patient identifiers before providing care.
“It’s one of those things that I think many of us nurses do instinctively but we need to make sure we’re not on autopilot,” says Coastal Professional Practice Director Johanne Fort. “It takes more than a room or bed number, label on clothing or equipment or simply asking a patient their name,” she adds.
A survey of patients who stayed at VCH hospitals between Oct. 2011 and March 2012 found that more than three quarters (77.7%) of patients asked if staff checked their ID before giving them medication, treatment or tests confirmed it was “Yes, always.”
Read the full ROP fact sheet
A quick reminder of approved identifiers and when patients’ identity needs to be checked is available in VCH’s ROP Fact Sheet: Checking Two Patient Identifiers Before Care. We’ve created fact sheets for all priority ROPs including Two Patient Identifiers Before Care that include a checklist of what compliance around each of the elements above looks like as well as links to Practice Guidelines, toolkits and sample questions from surveyors.
Spread the word
Share this story and the Two Patient Identifiers Before Care ROP with your team by email and by posting it in your lunchroom.
More stories in this series:
- Preventing pressure ulcers the key to one Coastal ROP
- Accreditation 2015: Are you prepared for questions about falls?
- Preventing VTE a key focus for Coastal Accreditation efforts
- Med Rec another key focus for Coastal accreditation preparation
- Increased focus on patient-centred care being brought to Coastal by Accreditation Canada surveyors
Have questions about infusion pump training?
Contact: Johanne Fort or MaryAnn Taylor
Email: Johanne.Fort@vch.ca
Email: Maryann.Taylor@vch.ca
Have questions about Coastal Accreditation 2015?
Contact: Jody Sydor Jones
Coastal Director, Clinical Quality and Patient Safety
Email: Jody.SydorJones@vch.ca
Visit the Accreditation site on VCH-Connect