Tag Archives: involvement

General Safety Issues

KEEPING OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSETS SAFE – OUR CHILDREN!

November marks National Child Safety and Protection Month – a time that reminds us of something that we should bear in mind every day – how to protect our children.  From the time of their birth, we are vigilant about their safety.  We have months to prepare for their arrival.  Picking out the perfect baby carriers, beds, clothing, safest bottles, formula, baby monitors, are only the tip of the iceberg.  Thankfully, hospitals are extremely careful in protecting newborns, as in the past, some persons have tried to slip in and take them.  When we first take a newborn out in the public, our eyes are constantly focused on that baby. 

That vigilance should carry over through their toddler years, ‘tweens, and teens.  Somewhere along the way, though, we get so very busy that safety may get pushed into the back of our minds.  We hear of parents and caregivers that forget and leave their little ones in the car.  We hear of the nightmare of missing children, and the agony that friends and family experience. 

Parents have the greatest influence on their children, so it starts from the very beginning of their lives.  They should be taught healthy routines and healthy habits.  The National Crime Prevention Council reminds us that we must talk to our kids and be involved with them.  Parents are responsible for furnishing safe toys.  They must install devices in their homes to protect toddlers from the hazards of electrical outlets, medicines, stairs, and many other ways their children can be injured.  

In many families, both parents work, or there may be a one-parent home.  When child care is required, the parents should do a thorough investigation of the  applicant to be in charge of their little one every day.  You are leaving your child in their care and you want to be sure this person will be responsible.  It’s a smart idea to install “nanny cameras,” for your peace of mind.  If you opt to leave your child in a day-care facility, be sure it is licensed, and ask parents you know that leave their children there about their experiences.  Day care centers are an excellent source of teaching children how to get along with each other. 

Parents need to monitor their children’s school activities, and be familiar with the school’s emergency plans, what kinds of foods are offered, and the safety of playground equipment.  They need to also plan their rides to and from school: either by carpooling with persons they know well, riding the bus, or bicycles, and be sure they stay on safe routes if they walk or ride a bike to school.  As they grow older, kids need to be involved in extracurricular activities, such as sports, hobbies, organizations, and/or Boy or Girl Scouts.  There are neighborhoods with gang activities, and keeping kids busy with other fun things will divert any interest in gangs. 

Every day, there is news somewhere of a missing child.  We hear every detail, when a little body is found.  That little person was someone’s angel, and we need to think about what went wrong and how our system can be fixed to better prevent persons from abusing children.  People that hurt children, the elderly, or animals are cruel and should be put away so they can never hurt anyone again.   Every child deserves to be safe.  Do your part – if you suspect a child is being abused, report the people that are doing it.  (Sometimes it does take a village!)

Being a parent, step-parent, or foster parent is a huge responsibility.  When your kids are grown and have kids of their own, you will reflect on what you could have done better to protect them as they grew up.  When you are a grandparent, you think of how you can keep them safe when they are in your care.  There’s a big checklist of things to do to protect our children.  We may not get every check marked off, but in the big picture, if we have raised them to be responsible adults, we will have done an excellent job.  

 Be on the same frequency as your children.  Stay engaged with your kids; you can be their friend as well as their parent.  Long after they are grown, they will realize that their parents will always be their best friends.  If we do our job in loving and protecting our children, they, in turn, will do the same for theirs.

 

 

 

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

WHEN IT COMES TO PATIENT SAFETY, YOU MUST BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE!

We are all human, and make mistakes, but in the field of medicine, errors may be costly.  In a recent report by the Institute of  Medicine, between 44,000 and 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals as a result of medical mistakes.  More persons die from medical errors than motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or Aids.

Most people hate to ask their doctors many questions, because they are intimidated by the fact that the doctor is busy and in a rush to get to the next patient.  You are as important as that next person.  If you leave your doctor’s visit with questions on your mind about a certain procedure or medication they have prescribed, you are putting your complete faith in them.  You must be an integral part of your healthcare team.  If you have children or elderly parents, you are a very important member of their healthcare team! 

Be sure to tell your physician every type of medication you are taking, vitamins, herbs, over-the-counter drugs, as well as all prescriptions, and any adverse reactions you have had in the past to certain medications.  If you have trouble reading the doctor’s script, ask him the name of it, and be sure your pharmacists can read it, as well.  This is one way to ensure that a mistake won’t be made.  Most pharmacies include written instructions and information on side effects of the medicine, so be sure you read that completely. 

Medical errors can occur in hospitals, clinics, doctor’ offices, nursing homes, patient homes, or outpatient services.   Mistakes can be made during operations, diagnostics, with equipment, reading lab reports, or from a routine task such as giving a high-salt meal to a patient on a salt-free diet.  Hospital patients should ask their health care workers if they have washed their hands before touching them; hospital-associated infections are very common.  The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons urges its members to initial the surgery site prior to surgery; you want to be sure they are putting a new joint in the right place! 

Should you receive a diagnosis that you question, make arrangements to see another physician, someone who is not associated with your doctor.  Getting a second opinion is very important in certain illnesses.  Sign a release to pick up your lab work results.  Too often the nurse will call and say “everything’s fine,” and hopefully it is.  But they may miss some critical part of the report, and it doesn’t hurt to ask a professional to look at your results.  Your doctor may not make the mistake; it could be a radiologist or pathologist that may misinterpret the x-rays or other tests.  My physician asked one time for a third reading of an x-ray for me because two radiologists came up with completely different diagnoses.  He sent it to a third one, whose opinion barely agreed with one of the others.  If that happens, who are you to believe?  It can be very scarey.

We aren’t undermining hospitals and physicians in any way; they are diligent in their efforts to keep us well.  It is merely an effort to encourage you to be involved and understand what is going on anytime you are being cared for.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  From experience, most of us have sat in hospital rooms with family members and wondered if the outcome would have been different if we had asked for more information.  If you feel that you or a family member is not being attended as you/they should be, speak up.  Remember, you must be the guardian for yourself, as well as your loved ones.

 

Source: AHRQ.gov

General Safety Issues

HOW IS YOUR ATTITUDE ABOUT SAFETY?

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How is the “safety climate” or attitude regarding safety within the organization where you work?  “Safety climate and safety culture are two terms that are used interchangeably.  A safety culture is described as safety attitudes, values and practices that exist at a deeper level within an organization.  To build positive safety attitudes, the workplace must have a strong safety culture.  A safety climate is how workers perceive the safety management of the workplace.  How is your attitude about safety? 

Effective accident prevention efforts strengthen the workplace stance of both employees and supervisors.  The entire workforce should be involved and committed to creating the best possible safety environment.  Rather than building the policies and procedures from the “top down”, it should begin from the “bottom up”.  The ones that are doing the work are the ones most likely to be injured, so their ideas and suggestions should be listened to closely.  They are the ones who witness near-misses, patterns of co-workers’ behavior, attitudes, taking shortcuts, or making decisions based on guesses rather than following  standard operating procedures. 

A well-planned and implemented behavioral safety system leads to workforce stewardship of safety systems, fewer accidents, fewer near misses, less property damage, more reporting of defects, and added reporting of accidents.  Supervisors must work with their employees to understand why and how incidents happened, and work together to take corrective actions.  Sometimes the saying, “It’s just the way we do things here,” may not mean that it’s the safe way to do things. 

Motivational posters can contribute to better feelings toward our work.  Whether they are serious or funny, they can make one stop and think.  Don’t ignore them, as your employer has placed them there for a reason. 

Take a look at the attitude you display at your workplace.  Think about how your job performance affects your coworkers.  Everyone wants to go home at the end of his/her shift.  A bad attitude can cause a mishap that leads to regret.  Show a safe attitude by behaving that way.  Can you name the safest person at your workplace?  Is it you?