Safety Coaches: The Link to Ensuring Our Patient's and Staff's Well Being

Purpose:
The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop a Unit Safety Coach program in which each unit has a representative that is responsible for leading safety initiatives, advocating for the safety of patients and staff on the unit and collaborating with other units.

Significance:
Patients are entrusting their safety while being in the hospital to us. Each year, patients are injured or killed while in seeking medical care. It is the duty of medical professional to ensure that patients are as safe as possible while with us. It is also imperative that we keep our staff safe.

Strategy and Implementation:
The Nursing Quality Council saw the need for an identifiable person on each unit to lead a patient safety initiative, ensuring that we are addressing all concerns related to keeping our patients and staff safe. Four sub-committees were formed under the Quality Council, which are responsible for looking at four different areas of patient safety: Patient Falls, Infection Prevention, Pressure Ulcers and Standards Compliance. Each of the members on the sub-committees are coaches for their unit, taking the information back. The coaches are advocates for patient and staff safety on their unit, act as a resource and role model for other staff on the unit and promote open communication and awareness of patient and staff safety issues. They conduct unit safety evaluations, lead unit based efforts for preventing patient and staff harm, and participate in readiness and environment of care rounds. Establishing this culture of safety is a top priority for us and our patients.

Evaluation:
As a result of this initiative, we have been successful in increasing the number of units that are below the NCNQI mean for falls, unit acquired pressure ulcers, restraints, CLABSI, CAUTI, and VAP. Through this effort our patients are safer and have better outcomes.

Implications for Practice:
Through our efforts our patients and staff will be safer. Issues will be addressed and changes made before harm can happen. Taking a proactive approach will allow us better outcomes.