Epidemic of Medical Errors and Hospital-Acquired Infections: Systemic and Social Causes

353 Pages·2012·9.47 MB·English

by  William Charney

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ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUEPNAVTIIROONNAML EHNETAALLT HA NADN DO CSCAUFPEATTYIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY Charney Charney
Epidemic Eopfi Mdeemdiicca ol fE Mrreodrsic aanl dErrors and
Hospital-AHcoqsupiirtaeld- AIncfqeucitrieodn sInfections
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Systemic and SSoycsitaelmic and Social p p
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Medical Errors LeadinMg eCdaicuasle E orfr oDrse aLteha idni ntgh eC Uau.Ss.e (aonf dD epaotshs iibnl yt hCea nUa.Sd.a )(and possibly Canada)
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not limited to, medical ernrootr, lhimoistepdit atlo-a, cmqeudiriecdal ienrfreocrt,i ohnoss,p mitaeld-aiccaqtuioirne de rirnofresc, tdioenast,h msedication errors , deaths
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from misdiagnosis, deatfhrso mfro mmis idnifaegcntioosuiss ,d diaerarhthesa firno mnu irnsfiencgt ihooums edsia, rsruhregai cina l naunrdsing homes, surgical and
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post-operative complicatpioonsst,- olepthearal tbivloeo cdo mcloptlsic iant ivoenisn,s l,e athnadl ebxlocoeds scivloet sra ind ivaetiionns ,f raonmd excessive radiatdion from d
CT scans. When the deatChTs sfrcoamn st.h We ahbeonv teh ec adteeagtohrsie fsro amre t choe uanbtoedve t hceayte bgeocroiems ea rteh ecounted they becicome the ic
leading cause of fatality tleoa Adminegr iccaaunsse, oouf tfpaatacliintyg t coa Anmceerr iacnadn sh,e oaurtt pdaisceinags ec.a Andcder t ahned heart disease. aAdd the a
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numbers of fatalities (monrutamlitbye) rtso othf efa mtailliltiioenss ( meaocrhta yliteya) rt ow hthoe a mrei lliinojnusre eda (cmho yrebaidr itwyh)o are injured (m orbidity)
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and whose quality of life aisn dfo wrehvoesr ea fqfeucatleitdy ,o af nlidfe a ins efopriedveemr iacf foefc hteadrm, a insd d aenfi neepdid.emic of harm is defirned. r
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Epidemic of Medical EErrpoidrse manicd oHfo Mspeidtaicl-aAl cEqruroirresd a Inndfe Hcotisopnista: lS-Aysctqeumiriecd a Inndfections: Systemic and
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Social Causes describSeso cthiael sCyasutesmesic d aensdc rsiboecsia tlh cea usyssetse mofi cm aenddic saol ceirarlo rc aaunsdes of medical er aror and a
iatrogenic events, all of wiahtircohg aerneic c eitveedn itns ,t haell pofe ewrh riecvhi eawre s cciiteendc ien, tthhea tp heaevr er eav ideiwre cstcience, that haven a direct n
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effect on the epidemic oeff fpeactti eonnt tihneju reyp, ibduetm aicre o rfa prealtyi eonrt ninejvueryr ,c bounts aidreer eradr.e Tlyh oers enever considered. These

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systemic causes includes yfasctetomryic m ceadusiceins ein (cfolur-dper ofafitc tmoreyd miciendei)c, isntea f(ffionrg-p rraotfiiot sm beodtihcine), staffing ratios both
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in clinical and nonclinical idn ecplianritcmale anntsd, nsohniftc lwinoicrka,l hdeeaplathrtcmaeren twso, srkhiinftg w coornkd, ihtieoanlsth, claacrke working conditions, lack
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of accountability, legal isosf uaecsc othuantt acboinliftlyic, tl ewgiathl ispsautieesn tt hsaatf ectoyn ifsliscut ews,it hb upllaytiinegn ta snadfety issues, bullyping and p
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hierarchical relationshipsh, iterraainrcinhgic aolf rheelaatlitohncsahreip ws,o trrkaeinrsin tgh aotf nheevaeltrh rcisaeres wtoo trhkee rlse vthealt never rises to tthe level t
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of the risk, injury to healtohfc tahree rwisokr,k ienrjsu.r yT htoe hpereamlthiscea roef wthoer kbeoros.k T ish eth parte imf tihsee oabf othvee book is that if the above
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systemic or social causseyss aterem nico to rc osnosciidael rceadu soer sc ahraen gneodt cthoenns idmeereddic aolr ecrhroarn gweildl then medical eArror will A
continue to be an epidemcico natnindu neo t os ubbes atann etipaild imempaicc at nodn nthoe s nuubmstbaenrtsia wl iimll pbaec rte oalniz tehde. numbers will be crealized. c
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An expert with 30 years oAf ne xepxepreiertn wceit ha s3 0a yheeaarlsth o af nedx psearfieetnyc oef faicse ar ihne haeltahl tahncda rsea afentdy officer in healthciare and i
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as an activist for commausn iatyn haecatilvthis ta nfodr scaofmetmy uisnsiutye sh,e eadltihto arn adn dsa afeuttyh oisr sWueilsli,a meditor and authore William e
Charney explores the issCuheasr nsueryr oeuxnpdloinregs m theed iicsasul eersr osrusr raonudn deixnagm mineedsi ctahle e srcroiersn caend examines the dscience d

behind possible solutionbse. hHined p preossesnibtsle a sno elufftiicoinesn.t Hdeia plorgeusee ntthsa at np reofdfiuccieenst ad imaloogreue that producesI a more I
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systemic exploration ansdy statergmeitcin egx polfo trhaeti ocna uasneds toafr gmeteindgic aolf etrhreo rc aanudse dsr iovfe sm aendical error and dfrives an f
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exacting message: we aerexa dcetianlgin gm wesitsha gaen: ewpeid aerme idc eoafl ihnagr mwi tahn adn u enpleidsse msyics toefm hicarm and unless scystemic ScystemicS yasntde mSoicc iaanl dC aSuosceiasl Causes
issues are solved, little wiislls cuheasn agree tsoo lsvuebdd, ulitet lteh we iellp cidheamngice. to subdue the epidemic. t t
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89293 89293 s s
Edited by WEdililtieadm b Cy hWairlnlieaym Charney
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Composite Composite

Epidemic of
Medical Errors and
Hospital-Acquired
Infections
Systemic and Social Causes

Epidemic of
Medical Errors and
Hospital-Acquired
Infections
Systemic and Social Causes
Edited by
William Charney
Boca Raton London New York
CRC Press is an imprint of the
Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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© 2012 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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Version Date: 20111222
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Dedication
This book is dedicated to the millions of patients who
suffered medical problems after seeking health care. This
book is dedicated to changing the deeper causes of the pain
and suffering incurred when medical intervention goes
awry. In other words, changing of the status quo ante.

Contents
Acknowledgments......................................................................................................ix
Editor.........................................................................................................................xi
Contributors............................................................................................................xiii
Chapter 1 Do.No.Harm:.A.Social.Science.Approach.to.Medical.Errors.
and.Hospital-Acquired.Infections—A.Systemic.Approach.to.the.
Epidemic................................................................................................1
William Charney
Chapter 2 For-Profit.Care:.Its.Effect.on.Medical.Errors......................................13
Joseph Schirmer
Chapter 3 Medical.Errors....................................................................................43
John H. Lange, Luca Cegolon, and Giuseppe Mastrangelo
Chapter 4 Nosocomial.Diseases:.A.Discussion.of.Issues.and.Prevention...........77
John H. Lange, Luca Cegolon, and Giuseppe Mastrangelo
Chapter 5 No.More.Preventable.Deaths:.Hospital-Acquired.Infections.in.
Canada.and.One.Union’s.Campaign.to.Stop.Them...........................105
Jonah Gindin and Michael Hurley
Chapter 6 Hospital.Epidemiology......................................................................125
John H. Lange, Giuseppe Mastrangelo, and Luca Cegolon
Chapter 7 Staffing.and.Medical.Errors..............................................................165
Beth Piknick
Chapter 8 Working.Conditions.and.Patient.Safety:.Impacts.on.
Medical Errors..................................................................................173
Steven Hecker
vii
viii Contents
Chapter 9 Shift.Work.and.Its.Impact.on.Medical.Error....................................185
Christine Pontus and Susan Farist Butler
Chapter 10 Bullying.and.Medical.Errors.............................................................197
Kathleen Bartholomew
Chapter 11 The.Relationship.between.Lateral.and.Horizontal.Violence.and.
Bullying:.Nurses.and.Patient.Safety..................................................209
Christine Pontus and Pamela M. Ortner
Chapter 12 Special.Populations:.Medical.Error.and.Infection............................225
Susan Gallagher
Chapter 13 Personal.Protective.Equipment:.Patient.and.Worker.Safety.............239
Thomas P. Fuller
Chapter 14 Legal.Issues.......................................................................................255
Barbara Machin
Chapter 15 Technology.and.Medical.Errors........................................................289
Shannon Gallagher
Chapter 16 Nursing.Injury.Rates.and.Negative.Patient.Outcomes:.
Connecting.the.Dots..........................................................................301
William Charney and Joseph Schirmer
Chapter 17 Industrial.Hygiene.for.Health-Care.Workers:.Exposures.
Causing.Injuries................................................................................311
John H. Lange, Giuseppe Mastrangelo, and Luca Cegolon
Chapter 18 Perspectives.of.a.Frontline.Nurse......................................................325
Maggie Flanagan
Chapter 19 Medical.Error:.A.Personal.Story.......................................................331
Daniel Gilmore