Tuned In To Patient Safety

While on a flight this week I was reminded of the frustrations of air travel as well as how we tend to block some things out of our mind.

First off, it seems that nobody reads the luggage signs at the gates that provide specific guidelines and suitcase size limitations. It seems everyone boarding the plane was trying to cram an oversized suitcase into the overhead compartment, kind of like putting 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5 pound sack.  Then there were those who had to be asked to turn off their cellular phones after the announcement was made twice. Does this sound familiar? 
 
After everyone was settled the safety demonstration began. You don’t have to be a frequent flyer to know the routine when the flight attendants demonstrate buckling seatbelts, dropping oxygen masks, exit rows, lights illuminating and the all-important federal law that prohibits tampering with smoke detectors in the lavatory. As the attendants were delivering their safety presentation I was looking around the plane to see who was watching and listening. There were very few who heard a word the attendants spoke. Everything was so routine and familiar that what they had to say was tuned out. I’m guilty of this on nearly every flight except for this day. How many of you listen to the presentation or read along with the card in the seat back pocket?
 

As I observed this I had to think about policies, procedures, labeling, and patient care.

How often are the same routines followed when preparing or administering a medication that the safety steps are tuned out or become less important? When reaching for a vial from the high alert bin in the med refrigerator is the labeling being read and the vial being doubled checked to ensure the correct one was retrieved? Are the safety prompts on your automated dispensing cabinet screen being observed or just entered through to complete the task? When something is identified as high alert or hazardous are the warnings being read and the proper precautions being carried out? Or is it like hearing the safety demonstration on a flight where everything is tuned out?
 
I think these are some important questions to ponder. Are we tuned in when it comes to patient safety? If I’m the patient, I hope the warning labels and alerts are being read and the technology is being used as designed.