Patient Safety in the Healthcare Setting

Course details

This exciting stand-alone module is to comprehensively deliver the elements of patient safety as presented by the WHO (2010). It is anticipated that this module will form part of the professional and academic development of the health professional working in acute and community settings, relating specifically to patient safety.

The module will provide an opportunity for health professionals to be updated, educated and trained in the theoretical and practical skills relating to all aspects of patient safety. It is anticipated that the module will have significant positive impact on patient care and outcomes. This stand-alone module can be completed on its own for professional development purposes. It is also part of the post graduate diploma in Health Sciences/Professional Studies.

Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the concept 'Patient Safety'.

• Discuss the fundamentals of achieving effective Patient Safety in the health care system and the influence of factors such as: human performance, effective communication, error prevention/identification/reporting and risk management in optimising patient safety.

• Analyse the tools and procedures employed to improve quality in healthcare.

• Discuss the role of various quality initiatives currently developed and employed in healthcare that optimise patient safety including: patient/carer engagement, infection control and strategies to improve safety in invasive procedures and medication management.

Module content:

• What is patient safety?

• What is 'human factors' and why is it important to patient safety?

• Understanding systems and the impact of complexity on patient care?

• Being an effective team player?

• Understanding and learning from errors

• Understanding and managing clinical risk

• Introduction to quality improvement methods

• Engaging with patients and carers

• Minimising infection through improved infection control

• Patient safety and invasive procedures

• Improving medication safety.