Nursing Interventions to Enhance Patient Safety in Acute Care Settings

Abstract

Patient safety is a critical concern for health care, and significant human suffering and economic burden result from errors within the medical field. A chronic problem in medical care development has been the gap between the creation of best medical knowledge and the application of that knowledge in clinical practice. Staff nurses, who provide 24-hour care to patients in hospital settings, have an important role in maintaining patient safety. As frontline caregivers, nurses provide ongoing assessment of patient status, coordinate care among a large group of healthcare workers, and administer medications to multiple patients with differing medication needs. It becomes imperative to provide staff nurses with evidence-based operating systems for optimal outcomes, including patient safety. This review explores the literature on nursing interventions that promote patient safety in acute care settings. These interventions may be of interest to chief nursing officers, nurse leaders, and human resource officers working towards diminishing barriers to safe nursing care.