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Report: Miscommmunication can hinder patient safety

Quality Improvement Monitor, January 27, 2005

Poor communication and collaboration among healthcare workers, inadequate support systems, and a lack of skills and personal accountability contribute to medical errors, according to a study released Wednesday.

The study of more than 1,700 nurses, physicians, clinical staff, and administrators noted that fewer than 10% address behavior by colleagues such as not following directions, taking shortcuts, or using poor clinical judgment.

Nearly one out of every five physicians surveyed have seen harm result from shortcuts or poor judgment, and 84% of physicians and 62% of nurses and other clinical-care providers have seen colleagues take shortcuts that could be dangerous to patients.

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and VitalSmarts, a leadership training and organizational performance firm based in Provo, UT, sponsored the report.

For more information, visit www.aacn.org/aacn/pubpolcy.nsf/Files/HWEStandards/$file/HWEStandards.pdf.

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