Safe Care

Certain safety practices, some as simple as hand-washing, can have a dramatic impact on patient outcomes. That’s why the entire clinical staff at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) – physicians, nurses , researchers and other clinicians – is committed to keeping patients free from harm by establishing strict safety practices, sticking to these practices and seeking innovative ways to further improve safety.

Please browse the measures below to see how BWH is living up to its commitment.

Infection Prevention

Healthcare-associated infections sometimes occur because of the vulnerability created by patients’ medical conditions and because the best medical care often requires the use of devices, treatments or procedures that can save lives but also increase the risk of infection. Fortunately, some of these infections can be prevented by ensuring that certain best practices are used. Click on any of the following measures to learn more.

Surgical Site Infections | Central Line-Associated Blood Stream Infections | Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia | Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) | Clostridium Difficile Infections | Hand Hygiene

Medication Safety

Brigham and Women’s Hospital is committed to honoring the five “rights” of safe medication administration – right patient, right drug, right dose, right time and right route (e.g., pill, IV). This commitment, combined with its leadership in the development and adoption of new prescribing and medication administration technologies, has led to significant decreases in medication errors. Click on any of the following measures to learn more.

CPOE | Barcoding/eMAR | Smart Pumps | E-Prescribing

Nursing Safety

In addition to being an active participant in many hospital-wide safety initiatives, the BWH nursing staff leads several major safety initiatives – Pressure Ulcer Prevalence, Patient Falls, and Restraint Use. Our experienced and highly skilled nursing staff is committed to the ongoing advancement of nursing practices in these areas. Click on any of the measures to learn more.

Pressure Ulcer Prevalence | Patient Falls | Restraint Use | Hand Hygiene

Other Patient Safety Initiatives

Electronic Medical Records | Safety Matters: Executive Walk-Rounds | Care Transitions | Serious Reportable Events