21C ASSIGNMENT
why prevention and safety measures are put into place to protect
patients and health care workers.
Lowering the Infection Risk
• Patients: Because there are so many sick people at hospitals and other healthcare
institutions, infections can spread there readily. Hand hygiene, equipment sterilisation,
and isolation procedures are examples of preventive practices that can lower the risk of
hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).
• Healthcare Professionals: Numerous infections and infectious illnesses are present in
the workplace. Their risk of acquiring and transmitting illnesses is decreased by using
personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately, being vaccinated, and adhering to
infection control procedures.
Keeping Patients Safe
• Medication Mistakes: pharmaceutical errors can be damaging or even fatal to patients.
To reduce the risk, steps including double-checking pharmaceutical orders, utilising
barcoding systems, and putting electronic health records (EHRs) in place are
implemented.
• Surgical Security: Sterile methods, accurate patient identification, and preoperative
checklists all help to reduce surgical errors and enhance results.
• Accidents and injuries: In healthcare institutions, patient injuries can be avoided by
implementing fall prevention measures including bed alarms and non-slip footwear.
Protecting Healthcare Workers
• Physical Safety: Safety precautions, such using assistive technology and lifting
patients safely, can keep healthcare personnel free from musculoskeletal injuries.
• Violence Prevention: Healthcare personnel are shielded from bodily danger by
procedures and training for handling aggressive or violent patients or visitors.
• Mental Health: Supporting healthcare workers with stress management, counselling,
and upholding a good work-life balance all contribute to their mental health.
Legal and Moral Responsibilities
• Observance of Regulations: Adhering to safety and preventive protocols guarantees
adherence to municipal, state, and federal laws, including those established by the
Centres for Disease Control and preventive (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA).
• Moral Obligation: It is the ethical duty of healthcare providers to avoid doing harm. This
ethical duty to deliver the best possible care includes making sure everyone is safe and
putting preventative measures in place.
, 21C ASSIGNMENT
Discuss the potential consequences of failing to follow and comply
with Health and Safety guidance and regulations.
Penalties Associated with Money
• When an enterprise violates the law, the HSE's initial response is limited to a notice of
improvement or restriction; nevertheless, the penalties might escalate. Violations can
result in fines of up to £20,000, while crimes that put human life in danger can lead to
indefinite fines or jail time. An employee may be able to sue the company if they get an
injury at work if best practices were not followed.
Industry Exclusion and Reputational Harm
• A company's reputation might be harmed by failing to follow health and safety
regulations. Revocation from the sector is a foreseeable outcome that frequently
destroys the reputations of businesses. Since it is the legal duty of the employer to
safeguard its workers, when a health and safety incident happens, the highest-ranking
individuals are frequently the targets of charges filed by the HSE, which in the UK has a
94% conviction success record.
Putting Lives in Danger
• The possibility of a worker becoming hurt or worse, dying, is the worst outcome. The
construction industry has had 30 fatalities in the past year, and these grave violations
have far-reaching effects on the businesses involved. In one well-known instance,
worker mortality brought on by health and safety carelessness resulted in a £200,000
fine for Sir Robert McAlpine. Unlimited fines have been as high as £800,000 in certain
cases, and in recent years, the number of fines that have been imposed has increased.
The construction industry's highest fine was £2.6 million.
reasons why the precautions and measures taken in clinical radiology
to protect patients and operators.
Reducing Your Radiation Exposure
• Radiation Dose Limitations: Ionising radiation can harm DNA and tissues, which
increases the risk of cancer and other health problems. Exposure to elevated radiation
levels poses a risk to both radiology operators and patients. Radiation dosages are kept
as low as is practically possible thanks to safety procedures (ALARA principle).
• Shielding: Thyroid shields, lead glasses, and lead aprons are used to safeguard delicate
organs from needless exposure. Lead lining is frequently used in radiology rooms' walls
and barriers to keep radiation from exiting the imaging area.