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Colorful wristbands to become consistent in Missouri

Staff Development Weekly: Insight on Evidence-Based Practice in Education, October 25, 2007

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As the eighth state to implement voluntary patient wristbands, Missouri is developing a consistent system in participating hospitals (such as St. Mary's Medical Center and St. Joseph Medical Center) that will eliminate confusion over what certain colors on the bands indicate.

Missouri's target date for adopting the standardized colors is November 1. Colors selected will be consistent with those of other states' standards, such as Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico.

The bands have helped nurses quickly identify information about a patient, such as whether or not he or she has allergies or is at a high risk of falling; hospital workers say that this has improved patient safety. Additionally, the wristbands have reportedly increased communication, since information about a patient is easily identifiable to involved parties, reducing the chance of miscommunication about a patient's condition.

Source: Kansas City Nursing News

Other articles of interest:

Create a better patient safety training plan

Patient safety bill dies in Massachusetts Senate

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