Quality & Patient Safety

Develop patient safety plans to transport critical care patients

Patient Safety Monitor Alert, February 25, 2004

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Hospitals should develop a patient safety plan before transporting critically ill patients within and outside of the hospital, according to new critical care guidelines developed by the American College of Critical Care Medicine and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

"Patient safety is enhanced during transport by establishing an organized, efficient process supported by appropriate equipment and personnel," according to the authors.

Because critical care patients are more vulnerable to increased illness and death during transport, the patient safety plan should be developed by a multidisciplinary team and address the following areas:

>> pre-transport communication and coordination

>> transport personnel and equipment

>> patient monitoring during transport

>> documentation

The plan should be evaluated and refined regularly using standard quality improvement processes.

The new guidelines appear in the January issue of Critical Care Medicine.



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