Introduction
Patient safety is becoming an increasingly important issue in healthcare systems worldwide. Healthcare providers must safeguard their patients from unnecessary risks during treatment. However, medical mistakes continue to occur with fatal results despite countless attempts to enhance patient safety (Hessels et al., 2019). Consequently, healthcare providers must establish a safety culture in the face of a heart attack brought on by a highly uncommon form of cancer. Therefore, this case study examines how medical facilities may establish a safety culture by teaching their staff and patients how to handle medications safely.
Adverse Event Selection
This case study will examine the potential contribution of a rare tumor to a fatal heart attack. A male patient, 40 years old, presented to the emergency room complaining of heart problems. The patient seemed to be in good health despite having diabetes and high blood pressure in the past (Capucci et al., 2019). He was sent to the cardiac catheterization lab after an electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed he was experiencing symptoms consistent with a heart attack (Capucci et al., 2019).
Sadly, the patient went into cardiac arrest during the operation and could not be revived. The autopsy revealed that a rare cancer primarily contributed to the heart attack. The doctors advised the family that they faced a tough decision on whether or not to attempt to prolong the patient’s life by removing some of his organs. The patient’s loved ones had witnessed the individual’s gradual decline in health over months. However, they did not realize how sick he was until they got a call stating he had worsened overnight. When physicians explained that organ removal was necessary to save the patient, the news thwarted the family.
The patient had a heart attack and died from head trauma during cardiac catheterization. The patient’s first examination missed a rare form of cancer that the autopsy uncovered as the underlying cause of the heart attack. The patient’s death resulted from unfortunate events; his preexisting medical condition was a significant issue. High blood pressure and diabetes are risk factors for cardiovascular disease; the patient had a history of both (Friis & Sellers, 2020).
Unfortunately, the patient’s initial evaluation missed the presence of this uncommon kind of cancer, delaying detection and treatment. It is conceivable that the lousy incident was partly caused by the medical staff’s inability to communicate effectively with the patient (Budreviciute et al., 2020). There is a potential that the patient’s pleas for information were disregarded. Inadequate staff training or a lack of resources might have also been system-level contributors to the negative outcome.
The patient’s blood pressure levels were not adequately controlled, and he had a cardiac arrest because of this (Schneider et al., 2023). Finally, in this situation, inadequate emergency preparation meant that the patient’s cardiac arrest was not treated immediately. There was a lack of disaster preparedness training, and essential supplies were not kept on hand.
Impact of Creating Patient Safety in Healthcare
Several benefits are associated with fostering a safety culture in healthcare settings. In the first place, it aids in the avoidance of medically harmful mistakes and incidents. Healthcare practitioners are more likely to take the required measures to detect and address possible dangers if they work in an atmosphere where patient safety is a top concern (Buljac-Samardzic et al., 2020).
Second, a safety culture fosters open communication and pushes employees to report events and near-misses without fear of retaliation. That way, businesses can determine what went wrong and implement safeguards to prevent it from happening again (Curtis et al., 2019). Third, fostering a safe workplace may improve morale and make people happier in their jobs. Healthcare companies’ employees who put a premium on patient safety are more likely to feel appreciated and given opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the care they deliver.
A heart attack by some uncommon tumors demands immediate and highly skilled medical attention. In light of this situation, it is crucial to establish a safety culture for several reasons. First, healthcare professionals must thoroughly familiarize themselves with the illness and its symptoms, essential for prompt and correct diagnosis (Mokarami et al., 2019).
Staff employees may be better able to notice and respond appropriately if a safety culture has been fostered. Second, healthcare practitioners are more likely to communicate effectively in a safety culture (Curtis et al., 2019). Working together is crucial to providing appropriate medical attention to patients. Healthcare providers can better serve their patients by working collaboratively in an atmosphere that promotes open communication.
Improvement Plan
Increase Awareness and Knowledge
Educate medical professionals on uncommon kinds of cancer that can cause heart attacks and the associated signs and risk factors. Healthcare practitioners should participate in ongoing training and education to ensure they know the most recent findings, recommendations, and methods. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to improve communication between various medical staff members and departments (Buljac-Samardzic et al., 2020). Patients with rare cancers might benefit from clear communication since it lessens the likelihood of misunderstandings and mistakes that could lead to a heart attack.
Create a System to Detect Emergencies Early
Create and deploy a system to track down people who have this unusual kind of cancer and are at high risk of having heart attacks as a result of their treatment (Budreviciute et al., 2020). Automating the system is necessary to guarantee timely notification of healthcare professionals and prompt implementation of necessary measures.
Improve Interaction
Foster an environment where healthcare professionals feel safe raising concerns and sharing their observations with others. Developing a culture of learning and continual development is also crucial to establishing a safe environment in healthcare. To achieve this goal, people must inspire healthcare professionals to develop a growth mindset, actively seek feedback, and critically evaluate their performance (Hessels et al., 2019). To better serve their patients, providers may recognize risks and work collaboratively to mitigate them by fostering a learning culture and continuous improvement.
Improve Quality Control
Inspect patient care procedures regularly to ensure they adhere to standards (Schneider et al., 2023). Apply remedies supported by evidence and supported by the acquired data to reduce the occurrence of future incidents with comparable outcomes. By ensuring that patients always receive consistent and evidence-based care, standardized procedures and recommendations can further aid in reducing the risk of heart attack caused by uncommon cancer. To avoid errors and bad outcomes, healthcare providers should establish clear protocols and standards (Mokarami et al., 2019). Ensuring all healthcare workers are up-to-date on research and best practices can improve patient outcomes.
Foster a Safety Culture
Encourage an atmosphere of safety by creating a work culture that places a premium on partnership and mutual regard among medical professionals. Providers should feel safe coming forward with reports of adverse occurrences and near-misses. Create a system of incentives for doctors and nurses that go above and beyond regarding patient safety.
A safety culture also requires the establishment of a mechanism for the reporting of adverse occurrences. Employees should feel safe reporting events and near-misses using this system, and the data collected may then be utilized to pinpoint problem areas. It may be encouraged with the support of a recognition and incentive program. Incentives like bonuses and other types of recognition might be part of this program to reward employees who go above and beyond in their dedication to safety.
Use of Data Analytics
Data analytics is a promising approach to determining where patient care might be enhanced and for what purpose. Healthcare practitioners can learn more about the causes of heart attacks in people with uncommon cancers by reviewing data on patient outcomes (Friis & Sellers, 2020). Providers may use data analytics to track the success of interventions and protocols, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes. In addition, consistent training and education are crucial to guarantee that employees are up-to-date on the most recent safety practices and procedures. Continuous training on various subjects pertinent to the healthcare facility’s needs is essential.
Conclusion
In conclusion, healthcare institutions must prioritize the development of a culture of safety to boost patient outcomes and treatment quality. Some of the most important aspects of a safety culture include open lines of communication, sufficient training, regular monitoring, and a plan for dealing with emergencies. Developing a safety culture is essential for providing prompt and correct patient care in case of a heart attack brought on by a rare form of cancer. Organizations in the healthcare industry should make patient safety a top priority and foster an atmosphere of constant development and education. Improved outcomes for patients with uncommon cancers can save lives if healthcare professionals prioritize patient safety and collaborate to detect and mitigate potential threats.
References
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Curtis, E., Jones, R., Tipene-Leach, D., Walker, C., Loring, B., Paine, S. J., & Reid, P. (2019). Why cultural safety rather than cultural competency is required to achieve health equity: a literature review and recommended definition.International journal for equity in health, 18(1), 1-17. Web.
Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. (2020). Epidemiology for public health practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Hessels, A., Paliwal, M., Weaver, S. H., Siddiqui, D., & Wurmser, T. A. (2019). Impact of patient safety culture on missed nursing care and adverse patient events. Journal of nursing care quality, 34(4), 287. Web.
Mokarami, H., Alizadeh, S. S., Pordanjani, T. R., & Varmazyar, S. (2019). The relationship between organizational safety culture and unsafe behaviors, and accidents among public transport bus drivers using structural equation modeling. Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behavior, 65, 46-55. Web.
Schneider, K. A., Chittenden, A., & Shannon, K. M. (2023). Counseling about cancer: strategies for genetic counseling. John Wiley & Sons.