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CMW News: Wristband colors standardized in New Hampshire

Case Management Weekly, December 3, 2008

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Using color-coded patient wristbands can quickly communicate information about patients to hospital personnel. However, many New Hampshire hospitals were using a wristband system, but not all used the same colors to represent the same conditions. This caused confusion and the possibility of error for some physicians, nurses, and other practitioners who worked in more than one facility in the state.

Therefore, the Foundation for Healthy Communities, a non-profit healthcare foundation, has launched a statewide initiative to encourage all facilities in New Hampshire to voluntarily adopt standard colored wristbands by January 1, 2009. The colors will be as follows:

  • Yellow designates fall risk
  • Red designates allergy
  • Purple designates do not resuscitate

The Foundation for Healthy Communities has released a toolkit for hospitals that includes a work plan for facility preparation, staff education, and patient education to help facilities implement the standardized wristband colors.

Source: The Foundation for Healthy Communities



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