TJC Seeks Input on
Proposed National Patient Safety Goal on Alarms
Alarms are vital elements for ensuring proper patient care, alerting healthcare providers of life-threatening conditions. However, if improperly managed, they can also compromise safety. To address this pressing safety issue, The Joint Commission (TJC) is seeking comments on a proposed National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) on the management of alarms.
Stakeholders invited to comment on NPSG, which includes the following elements:
- Establish alarm safety as a priority
- Prepare an annual inventory of alarms and identify default settings
- Identify the most important alarms to manage
- Establish policies for managing the alarms
- Educate staff about alarm policies and procedures
TJC invites stakeholder feedback and has created an online survey. The survey includes 15 questions and should take roughly 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
The AAMI Foundation’s Healthcare Technology Safety Institute, which addresses safety issues surrounding healthcare technology, has been looking into the challenges of alarm management. Additional information about alarm system safety is available at www.aami.org/htsi/alarms/index.html.
The TJC survey is available online here. Participants can also submit comments via an online form, which is available here. Comments will be accepted until Feb. 26.
Posted: February 6, 2013