Environment in a healthcare setting and healthcare outcomes

Environment in a Healthcare Setting and Healthcare Outcomes
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Institution
Environment in a Healthcare Setting and Healthcare Outcomes
A healthcare environment is said to have a significant impact on patient care. Furthermore, the primary mission of any healthcare center is to offer high-quality care and ensure patient safety. Research has shown that there is a notable progress in the provision of a safe and secure healthcare setting (Colling & York, 2009). Some of the security issues reported in these environments include homicides and assaults. There is a need to protect healthcare facilities to ensure the safety of patients alongside physicians and visitors. Patient safety involves protecting the sick from medical errors, accidents, and injuries.
Most hospitals have security arrangements to make sure everybody within the healthcare setting is safe. Moreover, patient safety also entails providing the right treatment. Patients are at times exposed to harmful chemicals, for instance, disinfectants and hazardous drugs that affect healthcare outcomes. Medical practitioners are expected to manage hazardous materials to prevent such exposure effectively. Sherwood and Zomorodi (2014) claim that medication errors are a major cause of death in the United States. Nurses have a duty to improve patient safety and outcomes by preventing these errors to avoid negative outcomes. However, some patients are said to be hostile and thus assault their caregivers, especially those in emergency departments.

This affects the quality of care administered.
Environmental conditions that strike in a hospital setting cause interruptions that increase error potential. In other words, any form of hazard causes distractions and interruptions that, in turn, impact patient care. Healthcare organizations are required to implement emergency plans to ensure that they respond effectively to disasters when they strike. Notably, since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the focus on emergency management in healthcare settings has increased greatly (Taylor & MacArthur, 2015). A safe healthcare environment can be achieved through a proactive management of risks as well as the physical conditions of an organization. Taylor and MacArthur (2015) argue that a hospital setting requires continuous monitoring to eliminate any unsafe practices and identify and reduce potential risks.
References
Colling, R. L., & York, T. W. (2009). Hospital and healthcare security. Butterworth-Heinemann.
Sherwood, G., & Zomorodi, M. (2014). A new mindset for quality and safety: The QSEN competencies redefine nurses’ roles in practice. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 41(1), 15–72.
Taylor, C. M., & MacArthur, S. A. (2015). The hospital safety professional’s handbook, fifth edition. Brentwood, TN: HCPro, a division of BLR.