Patient Identification Bands | Reducing Errors

Are you trying to eliminate errors associated with patient identification bands?

Does the healthcare organization have and enforce policies for handling all aspects of patient identification?

Is the identification band placed on the patient upon arrival at the facility after positive identification?

Is every identification band problem documented, analyzed and reported to risk management?

Is corrective action taken after each event to prevent a recurrence?

Are all workers educated into the problems associated with patient misidentification and the hospital policies in place?

Are all healthcare workers instructed not to remove an identification band unless absolutely necessary?

Is the routine checking of identification inculcated in all new workers until it becomes second nature?

Is all work on the patient stopped when possible until identification band issues are resolved?

Are special precautions to confirm identity taken when the patient is comatose or unconscious?

Are special precautions taken when processing patients with similar names?

Are patients instructed not to remove an identification band for any reason?

Is the ankle used as an alternative site for band placement when the wrist cannot be used?