Interventions on WHO Nine Patient Safety Solutions to Improve Safety in Nemazi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran - 2014

Actions of healthcare workers paired with the use of complex forms of technology can have positive diagnostic and restorative effects, but also can produce negative outcomes. The aim of this study was to implement and then assess the WHO’s 9 patient safety solutions. We also attempted to identify ways to improve compliance in our hospital’s pediatric cardiology and neurology departments.

In this study, a form was designed to collect information regarding the current state of implementation for each of the 9 patient safety solutions. Forms were distributed among Nemazi Hospital nurses for initial evaluation, and analyzed by SPSS Statistics, Version 18.0. The two solutions with the lowest compliance scores were selected for intervention. These included “assuring medication accuracy at transitions in care” and “avoiding catheter and tubing misconnections.” To improve these two solutions, an interventional program was designed. 

Compliance scores from the cardiology department concerning “assuring medication accuracy at transitions in care” solution increased from 34.16% to 75.00% after intervention. In the neurology department compliance scores increased from 36.66% to 68.33%. Regarding the “avoiding catheter and tubing misconnections” solution, scores increased from 46.87% to 72.91% in the cardiology ward and 40.27% to 67.53% in the neurology department.

Results indicate that interventions, such as training courses, checklists and reporting forms concerning medication reconciliation improved compliance. This was also true for use of checklists to improve compliance in the proper catheter and tubing connections solution area.