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Millions of people seek care in a hospital for critical illnesses, severe injuries, and emergency treatments every year. A safe health care environment is crucial to the well-being of hospital patients and protects nurses and the facilities they work in as well. Health care facilities that maintain stringent nurse safety practices and protocols can minimize the risk of injuries and errors in their facility, improve their patients’ outcomes, and foster a positive work atmosphere.

After exploring the importance of nurse safety and common safety risks, we’ll highlight essential safety tips and procedures to employ in health care settings. Pursuing an advanced nursing education is an effective way for nurses to learn how to adopt a safety-first attitude when providing clinical care.

The Importance of Maintaining a Safe Health Care Environment

Before delving into how to improve the standard of nursing care in health care facilities, here are key reasons why it’s important to maintain a safe medical environment.

• Staff well-being: Ensuring a safe workplace protects nurses from injuries and illnesses, which can reduce absenteeism and turnover rates. A safe environment also promotes higher nurse morale and job satisfaction, leading to better productivity, increased retention, and improved mental health for nurses .

• Patient safety: A safe environment minimizes the risk of medical errors, infections, and accidents, ensuring that patients receive the best care possible. Employing a safety-first approach in the nursing process also builds trust between patients and nurses, enhancing the overall patient experience.

• Regulatory compliance: Adhering to safety protocols and procedures helps health care facilities comply with laws and mandates set by regulatory bodies, helping them avoid legal penalties, fines, and loss of accreditation.

Common Nurse Safety Risks in Health Care Environments

Health care settings present numerous safety risks to staff and patients. As front-line medical workers, nurses must be especially cautious about certain aspects of their work environment and common clinical mistakes.

• Infections: Exposure to infectious diseases and pathogens is a significant risk for nurses and patients.

• Needlestick injuries: Accidental needlesticks can transmit bloodborne pathogens like HIV and hepatitis.

• Patient handling: Improper lifting and transferring of patients can cause musculoskeletal injuries in nurses that can lead to issues such as chronic lower back pain.

• Medication errors: Mistakes in medication administration can cause adverse drug reactions and harm patients.

• Workplace violence: Nurses are at risk of being verbally or physically assaulted by patients, visitors, or even colleagues.

• Slips, trips, and falls: Wet floors, cluttered walkways, and uneven surfaces in health care facilities can lead to falls and injuries.

• Fatigue and burnout: Long hours and high-stress work environments can result in nurses experiencing fatigue, burnout, and decreased job performance.

Nurse Safety Tips, Best Practices, and Protocols

Nursing professionals need to manage many risks to protect themselves and their patients. Organizations like the American Nurses Association are pushing for a renewed focus on nurse self-care and safety best practices.

Use Evidence-Based Practices

Implementing evidence-based practices ensures that safety protocols are grounded in the latest research and proven to be effective. Nurses should use verifiable data that shows the most prevalent injuries and illnesses they face to guide their preventive efforts. 

Remain Current on Procedures and New Medical Technologies

The medical profession is regularly adjusting and changing its standards and recommendations. To remain ahead of the curve, nurses should stay up to date with new procedures and equipment. Ongoing training and continuing education allow nurses to maintain their clinical competence and ensure they are using safe practices. 

Employ Safe Needle Use

Approximately one in three nurses believe that bloodborne pathogens and sharps present a significant health risk, according to the American Nurses Association. To reduce the risk of needlestick injuries, nurses should employ safe needle use, including in how they recap and dispose of needles, and always anticipate potential risks. 

Be Proactive Instead of Reactive About Safety

Preventing an incident, accident, or error is always preferred to dealing with the consequences. Nurses should take a proactive approach to workplace safety by:

• Regularly assessing potential hazards

• Promptly reporting and addressing safety concerns

• Encouraging a culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility

Engage in Safe Patient Handling

Manually lifting patients using improper technique puts nurses at risk of injury and musculoskeletal issues, potentially leading to chronic pain and lost work time. To prevent musculoskeletal injuries, nurses should:

• Use mechanical lifts and transfer devices whenever possible

• Employ proper body mechanics and lifting techniques

• Work in teams when handling heavy or immobile patients

Use Proper Patient Identification Procedures

Mistaking one patient for another can have disastrous consequences. To prevent critical errors, nurses should:

• Use at least two patient identifiers, such as name and date of birth, before administering treatment or medication

• Implement electronic health records and barcode systems to enhance accuracy 

Follow the 5 Steps of Safe Medication Administration

Medication errors can occur when nurses are fatigued or moving too quickly to conduct the proper checks. Nurses can ensure safe medication practices by verifying:

• They have the right patient

• They have the right drug

• They have the right dose

• They are using the right route

• They are administering medication at the right time

Using barcode scanning and electronic health records to verify patients’ information can help further reduce medication-related mistakes. 

Prioritize Workplace Violence Prevention

The high-stress and unpredictable nature of health care environments means that nurses are at risk of experiencing violence at work. To prevent and manage workplace violence, nurse leaders should:

• Implement zero-tolerance policies for violence and harassment

• Train staff to recognize and deescalate potentially violent situations

• Provide nurse safety security measures, such as panic buttons and surveillance cameras

Implement Fall Prevention Strategies

Health care facilities are high-traffic areas that put nurses and patients at risk of falling, especially if they’re not paying attention or have compromised mobility. To reduce the risk of falls, nurses should:

• Keep walkways clear of tripping hazards and spills

• Ensure adequate lighting in all areas

• Use nonslip mats and flooring

• Conduct regular fall risk assessments of patients

• Wear slip-resistant shoes 

Manage Fatigue and Workload to Prevent Burnout

When nurses experience burnout or fatigue, their ability to deliver high-quality patient care steeply declines, increasing the risk that they may make a mistake or critical error. To prevent fatigue and burnout, nurses should prioritize self-care, breaks, and workload management.

Create a Workplace Safety Response Team

Workplace safety response team members serve as the ambassadors for a safety-first culture, helping to promote and reinforce the tips, best practices, and procedures that reduce risks and clinical errors. A dedicated safety response team can:

• Monitor and address safety concerns

• Develop and implement safety protocols

• Conduct regular safety drills and training sessions

• Serve as a resource for staff on safety issues 

Learn the Clinical Skills That Support a Culture of Nurse Safety

Maintaining a safe health care environment is essential to the well-being of both staff and patients. By implementing evidence-based practices, remaining proactive about safety, and following essential nurse safety protocols and best practices, nurses can minimize safety risks and enhance the quality of care they provide to patients.

Nursing professionals who wish to enact positive change from within should consider pursuing a path to leadership, which can begin by enrolling in the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program at The University of Tulsa. Designed for BSN-educated nurses, this online program teaches advanced clinical skills and competencies that future nurse leaders need to make a meaningful contribution to the medical field, including by promoting a safety-first workplace culture.

Learn more about the MSN program at TU to see how it can support your professional aspiration to elevate the standard of medical care that nurses provide.

Recommended Readings

Director of Nursing Education Career Overview

MSN vs. RN: Why Earn an Advanced Degree?

Nursing Peer Review: Definition and Example

Sources:

American Academy of Professional Coders, “What Is Healthcare Compliance?”

American Nurses Association, The Nursing Process

American Nurses Association, Safety on the Job

American Nurses Association, “Safety Strategies Every Nurse Leader Needs to Know”

American Nurses Association, “What Is Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing?”

World Health Organization, “Patient Safety”

World Health Organization, Unsafe Patient Handling