-Compare the NPSG from 2020 to 2021. What areas continue to have the same goals? Are there goals that were part of one year that are not part of the other? Why do you think some of the goals continue year after year?

-Choose two goals from 2021 and identify a strategy for each goal that organizations could implement to achieve this goal. -Reflect on what you have learned in this class, identify a goal that is not listed in the NPSG but should be, and provide a rationale for why you believe this goal is important.

reference: The Joint Commission. (n.d.). National patient safety goals. Leading the way to zero. https://www.jointcommission.org/standards/national-patient-safety-goals/

The Joint Commission. (n.d.). 2020 hospital national patient safety goals. Leading the way to zero. https://www.jointcommission.org/-/media/tjc/documents/standards/national-patient-safety-goals/2020/2020-hap-npsg-goals-final.pdf?db=web&hash=17AB9546CAD521158182BC25A8387B2E

ANSWER

Comparison of NPSG 2020 and 2021: Consistency, Changes, and Continuation

The National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) set forth by The Joint Commission are vital for ensuring patient safety and quality care in healthcare organizations. A comparison between the NPSG from 2020 and 2021 reveals both areas of consistency and changes in goals. This essay examines the goals that continue to persist across these years, identifies differences, discusses potential reasons for their continuity, proposes strategies for achieving two goals from 2021, and suggests an additional goal for consideration.

Areas of Consistency

Certain goals from 2020 remain unchanged in the 2021 NPSG. For instance, the emphasis on improving communication and accurate patient identification has been consistent. Both years stress the importance of verifying patient identities accurately, avoiding patient identification errors, and promoting effective communication among healthcare providers.

Changes in Goals

In terms of changes, the NPSG for 2021 includes new objectives, such as addressing maternal health, maternal hemorrhage, and detecting and treating suicide risks. These reflect the evolving landscape of patient safety concerns, with a focus on addressing emerging issues and improving healthcare quality.

Continuation of Goals

Goals that continue year after year often address fundamental areas where improvements are needed. Ensuring proper infection prevention, reducing medication errors, and preventing falls are examples of persisting goals. These areas experience challenges due to complex workflows, multiple stakeholders, and varying patient populations. Continuation underscores the ongoing need for vigilance and improvement in these critical domains.

Strategies for Goals in 2021

Goal: Improve the safety of maternal health.
Strategy: Establish standardized protocols for monitoring and addressing maternal health during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods. Implement regular training for obstetric staff on recognizing complications and responding effectively to maternal health crises.

Goal: Identify individuals at risk for suicide
Strategy: Integrate comprehensive mental health assessments into routine screenings during admissions and outpatient visits. Implement electronic health record prompts that require healthcare providers to document suicide risk assessments and appropriate interventions.

Proposed Additional Goal: Enhancing Health Literacy

Rationale: Health literacy plays a significant role in patient safety and outcomes. Limited health literacy is associated with misunderstandings about medications, treatment plans, and consent forms. A goal focused on enhancing health literacy across all patient interactions could include strategies such as developing patient-friendly educational materials, offering language and culturally appropriate resources, and training healthcare providers in effective communication techniques to accommodate diverse literacy levels.

In conclusion, comparing the NPSG from 2020 to 2021 highlights both areas of consistency and changes. The persistence of certain goals reflects the ongoing challenges in patient safety domains, while new goals address emerging concerns. Implementing strategies for achieving these goals involves standardizing protocols, integrating assessments, and leveraging technology. Additionally, introducing a goal focused on enhancing health literacy can further empower patients to actively participate in their care, thus improving patient safety and quality outcomes.