#4 Daily Dose of Patient Safety: Communicate Effectively and Efficiently

MHS Patient Safety Professionals:

 

Clear, concise communication affects every aspect of medical treatment and successful patient and provider interaction.

 

Closed loop communication is an important strategy to ensure the intended message is the message received. Using closed-loop communication minimizes the risk of errors due to assumptions or misunderstandings.

 

Closed loop communication can be used when confirming the accuracy of a medication order:

--Sender initiates a message: “Give 25 mg of Benadryl IV push.”

--Receiver receives the message and provides feedback: “Let me confirm that. 25 mg Benadryl IV push.”

--Sender verifies message was received: “That’s correct.”

 

Closed loop communication can also be used during informal communications:

--Sender: Can you please take Mrs. Jones in room 222 some milk?

--Receiver: Sure, Mrs. Jones in room 222 would like some milk.

--Sender: That is correct!

You can find more information about this closed loop communication in the “Checkback” tool provided in TeamSTEPPS Module 3: Communication: https://go.usa.gov/xXcTG

 

Patient Safety Awareness Week News:

How patient safety savvy are you? Test your patient safety IQ with the Patient Safety Awareness Week Daily Patient Safety Quiz question posted on PSP’s Facebook page at 11 a.m. EDT at facebook.com/dodpatientsafety

Friendly reminder of webinars happening today you may be interested in. Check out the DoD PSP events calendar at https://go.usa.gov/xXcTs for details.

Do you work in an MTF? Tell us what you’re doing for Patient Safety Awareness Week via DHA.patientsafety@mail.mil.

 

 

 

If you have questions, please e-mail us at DHA.patientsafety@mail.mil.

 

Thank you,

 

DoD Patient Safety Program Team