Instructions
- What is a workaround? Identify a workaround (specific to technology used in a hospital setting) that you have used or perhaps seen someone else use, and analyze why you feel this risk-taking behavior was chosen over behavior that conforms to a safety culture. What are the risks? Are there benefits? Why or why not?
- Discuss the current patient safety characteristics used by your current workplace or clinical site. Identify at least three aspects of your workplace or clinical environment that need to be changed with regard to patient safety (including confidentiality), and then suggest strategies for change.
SOLUTION
A workaround is described as a quick shortcut to perform a task. A workaround can lead to behaviors that violate, improvisations and procedural failures (Debono et al., 2013). In my facility, we use the bili tool to determine their bilirubin level on newborns. We place the tool in the sternum area and press it against the chest three times and it gives the number. The number determines whether we have to draw a blood sample from their heel. Once we get the number on the bill tool, the attendings let us (nurses) know if we can do a blood draw. There was a time when the bili tool was giving numbers like 19 or 20, which is really high for an infant. We continue to use the tool but the attending would place an order to draw blood. Nevertheless. one of our nurses called the Biomed department to have it checked. In the meantime, we were given a loaner. This made such a high difference because we noticed it was not giving high numbers, and avoided pricking the newborn’s heel. …please click the purchase button to access the entire solution at $5