Ambulatory Safety Nets, ED Boarding, and Promoting Safety in Understaffed Departments

5 Ways to Promote Patient Safety in Understaffed Care Settings

A primary strategy focused on fostering a culture of trust and collaboration is recommended to help reduce your practice risks, protect patients, and support teamwork, particularly in understaffed settings.

Model and support a culture of trust so staff feel comfortable seeking advice or backup help
Ensure that escalation policies are clear about the criteria that trigger a call for help
Use regular safety huddles to encourage team communication around patient, staff, and equipment
Consider data-driven scheduling models to accommodate variation in patient demand
Evaluate protocols to provide safe monitoring of patients during all shifts, with consideration for accommodations due to understaffing

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First Published – April 17, 2023

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