CE: Nursing's Evolving Role in Patient Safety.

Area of Science:

• Nursing and Healthcare Safety Research
• Medical History and Evolution of Practice

Background:

• The Institute of Medicine's 1999 report highlighted significant annual deaths due to medical errors, urging a culture of safety in healthcare.
• This study analyzes trends in nursing's role in patient safety over 100 years using the American Journal of Nursing (AJN).

Observation:

• Content analysis of 1,086 AJN articles from 1900-2015 explored nursing's contribution to patient safety.
• Articles evolved from focusing on asepsis and germ theory to medication safety, standardized procedures, and advanced care models.

Findings:

• Early 20th-century articles focused on asepsis and germ theory; the 1930s saw medication error prevention and standardization.
• Post-WWII advancements included recovery rooms and progressive patient care; the 1960s-70s addressed complex equipment, infections, and unit-dose medication.
• From 2000-2015, focus shifted to systemic factors like communication, nurse-patient ratios, and provider behavior impacting patient safety.

Implications:

• Nursing's professional development has been intrinsically linked to highlighting and resolving patient safety concerns.
• The nursing profession's long-standing advocacy for safety has been amplified by reports encouraging systemic solutions to medical errors.