March 10 marked the first day of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Patient Safety Awareness Week.
The National Patient Safety Foundation, which merged with IHI in 2017, launched the first Patient Safety Awareness Week in 2002. The annual event aims to stimulate discussions on improving patient safety in healthcare settings.
IHI outlined several ways hospitals can engage their employees during patient safety week:
1. Hold a patient safety poster contest
2. Create a patient safety 'room of horrors' for staff to identify safety risks
3. Host an ice cream social where staff members can discuss patient safety risks
4. Send out daily emails with safety tips
5. Host interactive patient safety events, like a hand-washing demonstration
6. Offer staff members quizzes or trivia games on patient safety
To download patient safety-themed posters, table tents and social media templates from IHI, click here.
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