Thesis (M.Med.(Orthopaedic Surgery))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2013.

Errors in health care are one of the leading causes of death and injury in this country, requiring new methods for evaluating and promoting quality in health care services. Concern for patient safety, the foundation for quality services, has prompted national initiatives to examine the most basic premise for health care providers: Do no harm to the patient. Few of these initiatives have examined errors from the perspective of those who have been sanctioned for their errors. This descriptive, exploratory study utilized a survey methodology to examine the perceptions of 62 registered nurses (RNs) who had been sanctioned by a board of nursing to ascertain categories of practice errors and identify individual, health care team, patient, and system threats that contributed to an error and/or patient harm. The Threat and Error Management Model (TEMM) was utilized as a framework for examining the phenomena that promote or hinder patient safety. Using a modified version of the Taxonomy of Error Root Cause Analysis of Practice-Responsibilities (TERCAP) instrument, sanctioned RNs selected types of errors associated with a breakdown in their nursing practice. In addition, they identified factors that contributed to their errors, including individual, health care team, patient, and system threats. Associations between the levels of patient harm and types of error were examined. Two open-ended questions provided an opportunity for the participants to describe changes in their practice since the error event. System and health care team factors were the most common items selected as contributing to the error events, while individual factors were the least often selected items. Two types of errors, clinical evaluation and attentiveness/surveillance, were significantly related to the level of harm to patients. Given the opportunity to discuss individual factors through open-ended questions, responses were comprehensive and many were related to issues with trust. Recommendations for nursing theory, policy, practice, education, and research are reviewed.

Every scheduled treatment at a radiation therapy clinic involves a series of safety protocol to ensure the utmost patient care. Despite safety protocol, on a rare occasion an entirely preventable medical event, an accident, may occur. Delivering a treatment plan to the wrong patient is preventable, yet still is a clinically documented error. This research describes a computational method to identify patients with a novel machine learning technique to combat misadministration.The patient identification program stores face and fingerprint data for each patient. New, unlabeled data from those patients are categorized according to the library. The categorization of data by this face-fingerprint detector is accomplished with new machine learning algorithms based on Sparse Modeling that have already begun transforming the foundation of Computer Vision. Previous patient recognition software required special subroutines for faces and di↵erent tailored subroutines for fingerprints. In this research, the same exact model is used for both fingerprints and faces, without any additional subroutines and even without adjusting the two hyperparameters. Sparse modeling is a powerful tool, already shown utility in the areas of super-resolution, denoising, inpainting, demosaicing, and sub-nyquist sampling, i.e. compressed sensing. Sparse Modeling is possible because natural images are inherrently sparse in some bases, due to their inherrant structure. This research chooses datasets of face and fingerprint images to test the patient identification model. The model stores the images of each dataset as a basis (library). One image at a time is removed from the library, and is classified by a sparse code in terms of the remaining library. The Locally Competetive Algorithm, a truly neural inspired Artificial Neural Network, solves the computationally difficult task of finding the sparse code for the test image. The components of the sparse representation vector are summed by `1 pooling, and correct patient identification is consistently achieved 100% over 1000 trials, when either the face data or fingerprint data are implemented as a classification basis. The algorithm gets 100% classification when faces and fingerprints are concatenated into multimodal datasets. This suggests that 100% patient identification will be achievable in the clinal setting. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Today, in 21st century healthcare at least 10% of hospitalised patients are subjected to some degree of unintended harm as a result of the treatment they receive. Despite the growing patient safety agenda there is little empirical evidence to demonstrate that patient safety is improving. Patient Safety Leadership Walk Rounds (PSLWR) were introduced to the UK, in March 2005, as a component of the Safer Patients Initiative (SPI), the first dedicated, hospital wide programme to reduce harm in hospital care. PSLWR are designed, to create a dedicated ‘conversation’ about patient safety, between frontline staff, middle level managers and senior executives. This thesis, explored the use of PSLWR, as a proactive mechanism to engage staff in patient safety discussion and detect patient harm within a Scottish healthcare system- NHS Tayside. From May 2005 to June 2006, PSLWR were held on a weekly basis within the hospital departments. A purposive sample, (n=38) of PSLWR discussions were analysed to determine: staff engagement in the process, patient safety issues disclosed; recognition of unsafe systems (latent conditions) and actions agreed for improvement. As a follow-up, 42 semi-structured interviews were undertaken to determine staff perceptions of the PSLWR system. A wide range of clinical and non-clinical staff took part (n=218) including medical staff, staff in training, porters and cleaners, nurses, ward assistants and pharmacists. Participants shared new information, not formally recorded within the hospital incident system. From the participants perspectives, PSLWR, were non threatening; were easy to take part in; demonstrated a team commitment, from the Board to the ward for patient safety and action was taken quickly as a result of the ‘conversations’. Although detecting all patient harm remains a challenge, this study demonstrates PSLWR can be a useful tool in the patient safety arsenal for NHS healthcare organisations.

Introdução: Por se tratar de uma falha médica com potencial implicação jurídica, a retenção inadvertida de corpos estranhos continua sendo subnotificada, o que dificulta o seu estudo e a sua compreensão. Como resultado, ainda se enfrenta um problema recorrente. Este estudo explorou a experiência de cirurgiões brasileiros em relação à retenção de corpos estranhos, analisando as suas características e consequências. Métodos: Foi enviado um questionário de preenchimento voluntário, confidencial e anônimo, por correio eletrônico, aos cirurgiões membros de nove sociedades brasileiras, durante um período de três meses. As questões analisaram a vivência dos entrevistados com os corpos estranhos, seus tipos, manifestações clínicas, diagnóstico, fatores de risco ou de proteção e implicações jurídicas. Resultados: Das 2872 submissões elegíveis, 43% dos médicos teriam deixado e 73% retirado corpos estranhos em uma ou mais ocasiões. Destes, 90% eram têxteis, 78% foram descobertos no primeiro ano e 14% eram assintomáticos. A maioria das retenções ocorreu no início da carreira profissional, em procedimentos eletivos (54%) e rotineiros (85%), porém complexos (57%). Emergência, ausência de contagem, pacientes obesos, fadiga do cirurgião e problemas relacionados às equipes cirúrgicas e aos processos foram tidos como os principais facilitadores. Os pacientes foram alertados sobre a retenção em 46% das vezes e, destes, 26% processaram os médicos ou a instituição. Conclusões: A maioria das retenções inadvertidas ocorreu nos primeiros anos de atividade profissional, em intervenções eletivas e rotineiras. Os corpos estranhos foram diagnosticados nos primeiros meses de pósoperatório, tendo sido os têxteis os mais frequentes. Os fatores de risco referidos pelos entrevistados são comuns em seus locais de trabalho, como emergências e equipes cirúrgicas incompletas, por exemplo. Menos de metade dos operados ficou ciente do evento adverso, sendo que a minoria acabou processando as instituições e/ou cirurgiões envolvidos / Background: Although there is an international mobilization to deal with unintentionally retained foreign bodies (RFB), since it is medical malpractice with potential legal implications, the cases are underreported, hindering the understanding and study of the problem. As a result, we face a recurrent and poorly understood event. This study explored the experience of brazilian surgeons on RFB and analyzed their characteristics and consequences. Study Design: In a three-month period, questionnaire was sent to surgeons members of nine brazilian societies, by electronic mail. Answering the questionnaire was volunteer. Answers were kept confidential and anonymous. The questions explored their experience with foreign bodies, FB types, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, risk and protection factors, and legal implications. Results: In 2872 eligible questionnaires, 43% of the doctors said they had already left FB and 73% had removed FB, in one or more occasions. Of these foreign bodies, 90% were textiles, 78% were discovered in the first year after the surgery and 14% remained asymptomatic. The occurrence of RFBs is more frequent in early professional career, in elective (54%) and routine (85%), but complex (57%) procedures. The main causes were emergency, lack of counting, inadequate work conditions, change of plans during the procedure and obese patients. Patients were alerted about the retention in 46% of the cases, and of these, 26% sued the doctors or the institution. Conclusion: The majority of unintentionally retained foreign bodies occurred at the beginning of the professional career, during routine surgical procedures. In general, foreign bodies caused symptoms and were diagnosed in the first year of the post-operative period. Textiles predominated. Inadequate work conditions were listed as RFB risk factors, as well as emergency surgery, for example. Less than half of the patients were aware of the adverse event and 26% sued the surgeons or the institutions involved in the procedure

Introdução: Por se tratar de uma falha médica com potencial implicação jurídica, a retenção inadvertida de corpos estranhos continua sendo subnotificada, o que dificulta o seu estudo e a sua compreensão. Como resultado, ainda se enfrenta um problema recorrente. Este estudo explorou a experiência de cirurgiões brasileiros em relação à retenção de corpos estranhos, analisando as suas características e consequências. Métodos: Foi enviado um questionário de preenchimento voluntário, confidencial e anônimo, por correio eletrônico, aos cirurgiões membros de nove sociedades brasileiras, durante um período de três meses. As questões analisaram a vivência dos entrevistados com os corpos estranhos, seus tipos, manifestações clínicas, diagnóstico, fatores de risco ou de proteção e implicações jurídicas. Resultados: Das 2872 submissões elegíveis, 43% dos médicos teriam deixado e 73% retirado corpos estranhos em uma ou mais ocasiões. Destes, 90% eram têxteis, 78% foram descobertos no primeiro ano e 14% eram assintomáticos. A maioria das retenções ocorreu no início da carreira profissional, em procedimentos eletivos (54%) e rotineiros (85%), porém complexos (57%). Emergência, ausência de contagem, pacientes obesos, fadiga do cirurgião e problemas relacionados às equipes cirúrgicas e aos processos foram tidos como os principais facilitadores. Os pacientes foram alertados sobre a retenção em 46% das vezes e, destes, 26% processaram os médicos ou a instituição. Conclusões: A maioria das retenções inadvertidas ocorreu nos primeiros anos de atividade profissional, em intervenções eletivas e rotineiras. Os corpos estranhos foram diagnosticados nos primeiros meses de pósoperatório, tendo sido os têxteis os mais frequentes. Os fatores de risco referidos pelos entrevistados são comuns em seus locais de trabalho, como emergências e equipes cirúrgicas incompletas, por exemplo. Menos de metade dos operados ficou ciente do evento adverso, sendo que a minoria acabou processando as instituições e/ou cirurgiões envolvidos / Background: Although there is an international mobilization to deal with unintentionally retained foreign bodies (RFB), since it is medical malpractice with potential legal implications, the cases are underreported, hindering the understanding and study of the problem. As a result, we face a recurrent and poorly understood event. This study explored the experience of brazilian surgeons on RFB and analyzed their characteristics and consequences. Study Design: In a three-month period, questionnaire was sent to surgeons members of nine brazilian societies, by electronic mail. Answering the questionnaire was volunteer. Answers were kept confidential and anonymous. The questions explored their experience with foreign bodies, FB types, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, risk and protection factors, and legal implications. Results: In 2872 eligible questionnaires, 43% of the doctors said they had already left FB and 73% had removed FB, in one or more occasions. Of these foreign bodies, 90% were textiles, 78% were discovered in the first year after the surgery and 14% remained asymptomatic. The occurrence of RFBs is more frequent in early professional career, in elective (54%) and routine (85%), but complex (57%) procedures. The main causes were emergency, lack of counting, inadequate work conditions, change of plans during the procedure and obese patients. Patients were alerted about the retention in 46% of the cases, and of these, 26% sued the doctors or the institution. Conclusion: The majority of unintentionally retained foreign bodies occurred at the beginning of the professional career, during routine surgical procedures. In general, foreign bodies caused symptoms and were diagnosed in the first year of the post-operative period. Textiles predominated. Inadequate work conditions were listed as RFB risk factors, as well as emergency surgery, for example. Less than half of the patients were aware of the adverse event and 26% sued the surgeons or the institutions involved in the procedure

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Health Information Technology (HIT) has become an integral component of healthcare today. The HITECH Act (2009) and Meaningful Use objectives stand to bring wide-sweeping adoption and implementations of HIT in small, medium and large sized healthcare organizations across the country. Though recent literature has provided evidence for the benefits of HIT in the profession, there have also been a growing number of reports exploring the adverse effects of HIT. There has not, however, yet been a systematic account of the adverse effects of HIT in the healthcare system. The current push for HIT coupled with a lack of critical appraisal of the potential risks of implementation and deployment within the medical literature has led to a general unquestioning and unregulated acceptance of the implementation of technology in medicine and healthcare as a positive addition with little or no risk. While the benefits of HIT are clear, a review of the existing studies in the literature would provide a holistic vision of the adverse effects of HIT as well as the types and impact within the nation’s health care system to inform future HIT development and implementation. The development of a general understanding of these adverse effects can serve as a review and summary for the use of informatics professionals and clinicians implementing HIT as well as providing future direction for the industry in HIT implementations. Additionally, this study has value for moving forward in informatics to develop frameworks for implementation and guidelines and standards for development and regulation of HIT at a federal level. This study involves the use of an integrative literature review to identify and classify the adverse effects of HIT as reported in the literature. The purpose of this study is to perform an integrative review of the literature to 1) identify and classify the adverse effects of HIT; 2) determine the impact and prevalence of these effects; 3) identify the recommended actions and best practices to address the negative effects of HIT. This study analyzed 18 articles for HIT-induced error and adverse consequences. In the process, 228 errors and/or adverse consequences were identified, classified and represented in an operational taxonomic schema. The taxonomic representation consisted of 8 master categories and 30 subcategories. Additionally, the prevalence and impact of these errors were evaluated as well as recommendations and best practices in future systems design. This study builds on previous work in the medical literature pertaining to HIT-induced errors and adverse consequences and offers a unique perspective in analyzing existing studies in the literature using the integrative review model of research. It is the first work in combining studies across healthcare technologies and analyzing the adverse consequences across 18 studies to form a cohesive classification of these events in healthcare technology.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Nurse-physician collaboration has received much attention over the past decade in the USA. The release of three reports from the Institute of Medicine implicated poor communication and collaboration among nurses and physicians as a major contributing factor to the incidence of sentinel events and medical errors. Despite the growing awareness of the imperative related to collaboration between nurses and physicians to ensure patient safety, the problem of poor nurse-physician collaboration remains endemic throughout the country. Indian nurses, along with many other internationally educated nurses, comprise 12-15.2% of the nursing workforce in the USA. Little is known about how Indian nurses culture potentially influences their ability to effectively collaborate with physicians to ensure patient safety. The purpose of this study is to understand Indian nurses’ attitudes and perceptions about nurse-physician collaboration. Hermeneutic interpretive phenomenology as influenced by the work of Martin Heidegger guided this study through the use of interviews via Skype. The overall experience of the Indian nurses was of one experiencing a dramatic positive change in nurse-physician collaboration in the USA as compared to India. Four themes emerged describing this phenomenon: Respect/feeling heard, Being Trusted, Assurance of Accountability, and Finding Freedom. Indian nurses practicing in the USA find a freedom that empowers them to collaborate with physicians for patient safety. They, as all nurses may, benefit from continuing educational opportunities that demonstrate ways to collaborate more fully.