Safety for all: bringing together patient and employee safety.
The safety of patients and of employees in healthcare have historically been separately managed and regulated. Despite efforts to reduce injury rates for employees and adverse events for patients, healthcare organizations continue to see less-than-optimal outcomes in both domains. This article challenges readers to consider how the traditional siloed approach to patient and employee safety can lead to duplication of effort, confusion, missed opportunities and unintended consequences. The authors propose that only through integrating patient and employee safety activities and challenging the paradigms that juxtapose the two will healthcare organizations experience sustained and improved safety practice and outcomes.
Executive vice-president of people, organizational development and practice; and chief nurse at Island Health, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
R Lynn
RL
Stevenson
Executive director of occupational health and safety, and executive director of people and organizational development at Island Health.
Lesley
L
Moss
Project director of occupational health and safety at Island Health.
Tracey
T
Newlands
Project manager in the office of the executive vice-president of people, organizational development and practice; and chief nurse at Island Health.
Jana
J
Archer
D002170:Canada; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000592:standards; D058016:Health Facility Administration; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000592:standards; D061214:Patient Safety / Q000592:standards; D058996:Quality Improvement