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VHA National Center for Patient Safety

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VA Boston Displays Transparency in Patient Safety

The

(From left) SICU Nurse Manager Melissa D’Andrea; Director of Patient Safety Pam Bellino; Deputy Nurse Executive Joan Clifford; SICU Staff Nurse Ashely Marinello-Hodge (recipient), Medical Center Director Vincent Ng. Other attendees who are not pictured: Attending Anesthesiologist Houman Amirfarzan, M.D., and Chief of Staff Michael Charness, M.D.

By Vanessa Coronel, R.N., VA Boston Healthcare System
Monday, September 22, 2014

The “Good Catch Award” recognizes employees who report close calls or other patient safety concerns.

A close call is an event or situation that could have been harmful to the patient but was prevented. Also known as “near misses,” close calls provide opportunities for learning by developing preventive plans and actions.

This patient safety initiative promotes and encourages transparency by getting direct feedback from frontline staff on how processes can be improved, thereby rendering the safest care possible to our Veterans.

The first “Good Catch Award” was presented to Ashley Marinello-Hodge, R.N., from SICU. She reported a potential sharps safety concern with the syringes in the emergency code carts. This led to a change in the type of syringes stocked in the medication trays.

Her commitment to patient safety was recognized by Medical Center Director Mr. Vincent Ng, and Ms. Pam Bellino, the director of the system’s patient safety program.

Learn More

Boston Healthcare System: http://www.boston.va.gov/

The Veteran’s Health Care System of the Ozarks has also begun a successful “Great Catch” program (TIPS article): http://www.patientsafety.va.gov/docs/TIPS/tips_july_aug_14_v2.pdf#page=3

VA’s Approach to Patient Safety: http://www.patientsafety.va.gov/about/approach.asp

 

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