Medical Checklists

Did you know that U.S. surgeons operate on the wrong side of a patient as often as 40 times a week?

In the health care field, mistakes happen a lot. A nurse can mistakenly give a wrong and toxic dose of medication, a surgeon can nick a healthy blood vessel and a patient room can be improperly disinfected, potentially giving the next occupier a “superbug.”  

In an article from AARP, the number of patients who die each year from preventable hospital errors and mistakes is equal to four full jumbo jets crashing each week.  

However, progress is beginning to take place. 

Safety innovators around the country are introducing ways to minimize hospital errors, including the use of checklists and reporting to state websites about the number of hospital infection rates.  

Watch the AARP video below to learn about these checklists.