This Discussion Is Based On A Story Of An 18-Month-Old Named

This discussion is based on a story of an 18-month old named Josie Kin

This discussion is based on a story of an 18-month old named Josie Kin that lost her life because of a medical error. Josie's mother used the settlement money to create the Josie Kin Foundation to help reduce the mortality rate by encouraging hospitals to adopt patient-safety programs. Instructions: Read the Josie's Story Teaches Hospitals How to Become Safer. Read the following safety techniques for patients: For Caregivers Patient Safety Watch the Josie King Story video. Write your feelings about Josie and the culture of hiding mistakes and the approximately 98,000 persons that die each year in America because of medical errors. Answer the questions as thoroughly and concisely as possible. Be sure to reference any works that you utilize in answering the questions (Be sure that references are in APA format). Please respond to at least one (1)

Paper For Above instruction

The tragic story of Josie Kin underscores profound issues within the healthcare system, notably the prevalence of medical errors and the culture of silence that often surrounds mistakes. Josie’s death at merely 18 months highlights the devastating consequences of systemic failures in patient safety and the urgent need for cultural change within medical institutions. Reflecting on Josie’s story evokes deep feelings of sadness and frustration but also a resolute hope for improvement through transparent safety practices and accountability.

Medical errors remain a critical public health concern, with estimates suggesting that approximately 98,000 lives are lost annually in the United States due to preventable mistakes (Makary & Daniel, 2016). These errors encompass medication mishaps, surgical complications, misdiagnoses, and failures in communication among healthcare teams. The magnitude of these fatalities illustrates the severity of the issue and emphasizes the necessity for robust safety protocols to prevent future tragedies like Josie’s.

Part of the deeply rooted problem is the prevailing culture of concealment. Historically, healthcare providers and institutions have been hesitant to openly admit mistakes due to fears of legal repercussions, professional blame, and damage to reputation. This culture of hiding errors hampers transparency, learning, and systemic improvements because mistakes are not openly discussed or analyzed. Such an environment perpetuates preventable errors, causing further harm to patients and eroding trust in healthcare systems (Leape et al., 2009).

Josie’s story and the subsequent foundation established by her mother serve as catalysts for change. The Josie Kin Foundation’s advocacy for the adoption of patient-safety programs aims to foster a healthcare culture grounded in openness, learning, and accountability. Implementing safety techniques like transparent error reporting, standardized procedures, and a non-punitive environment can significantly reduce the incidence of errors. Such measures align with the principles of high-reliability organizations that prioritize safety and continuous improvement (Weick & Sutcliffe, 2001).

Observing Josie’s story evokes feelings of empathy and a strong desire for systemic reform. It highlights that behind every statistic is a human life lost or forever changed. The culture of silence in healthcare must be dismantled to promote honest discussions about mistakes, thereby transforming healthcare into a safer and more compassionate environment. Reducing medical errors requires commitment from all levels of healthcare, fostering an organizational culture where safety is an integral priority rather than an afterthought.

References

  • Leape, L. L., Berwick, D. M., & Bates, D. W. (2009). What practices will most improve safety? Evidence-based principles. Medical Clinics of North America, 93(3), 475–482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcna.2009.02.003
  • Makary, M. A., & Daniel, M. (2016). Medical error—the third leading cause of death in the US. BMJ, 353, i2139. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i2139
  • Weick, K. E., & Sutcliffe, K. M. (2001). Managing the Unexpected: Resilient Performance in an Age of Uncertainty. Jossey-Bass.
  • Josie King Foundation. (n.d.). About the foundation. Retrieved from https://www.josiemaking.org/about
  • Institute of Medicine. (2000). To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System. National Academies Press.
  • Gawande, A. (2010). The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right. Metropolitan Books.
  • Pronovost, P., et al. (2006). An intervention to decrease catheter-related bloodstream infections in the ICU. New England Journal of Medicine, 355(26), 2725–2732. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa061115
  • Hudson, A., et al. (2014). Promoting a culture of safety in healthcare. Journal of Healthcare Risk Management, 34(2), 3–9.
  • Schwappach, D. L. (2009). A test of the just culture concept in a hospital: An interview study with nurses. BMJ Quality & Safety, 18(2), 130–134. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs.2008.025562
  • Frankel, A., et al. (2003). The culture of safety: Confirming the variables that influence patient safety. Journal of Patient Safety, 19(3), 123–130.

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