Safety and quality update: May 2022
12 May 2022
New this month: cardiac implantable electronic device guidelines; bowtie diagram incident analysis; New Zealand healthcare-associated infections; ANZ Audits of Surgical Mortality; webinars, training and more.
Safety alerts
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Cardiac implantable electronic devices – ANZCA guidelines update
Increasing numbers of people have cardiac device implants such as pacemakers, implantable defibrillators and cardiac resynchronisation devices. During surgery, electromagnetic interference may compromise the device’s functionality including the pacing or shock functions.
The British Heart Rhythm Society released new guidelines for the peri-operative management of people with cardiac implantable electronic devices in April 2022. Accordingly, we’ve made the following minor changes to ANZCA professional documents:
Read BHRS guidelines
WebAIRS streaming video: Bowtie diagram incident analysis
After a server upgrade in April 2022, webAIRS can now stream video. Log in to webAIRS now to watch a video on the Bowtie diagram method for the analysis of incident reports.
Are you contributing to incident reporting and quality improvement in anaesthesia? Visit the webAIRS website or email anztadc@anzca.edu.au to get started with webAIRS.
Watch the video
New Zealand point prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections
The Health Quality & Safety Commission has released the findings of the first national point prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in Aotearoa New Zealand, which will help identify quality improvement opportunities to reduce the risk of HAIs occurring and achieve better health outcomes for patients.
Read the report
Australian and New Zealand Audits of Surgical Mortality (ANZASM) events and reports
Consumers Health Forum webinar 25 May 2022: The role of health communication in patient safety and quality of care
Consumers Health Forum and the Australian National University Institute for Communication in Health Care are co-hosting this webinar on the role of communication in health care and patient safety, with presentations:
- Diana Slade: “Patient and carer inclusion in clinical handover: translational communication research”
- Carmel Crock, Mary Dahm and Maureen Williams: “Safer diagnosis through better communication - The way ahead”
- Imogen Mitchell: “End of Life Care Across Australia”
Register
Australian Council on Healthcare Standards Improvement Academy: online courses
Forthcoming online courses from the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards Improvement Academy include:
- Introduction to Human Factors in Healthcare
- Leadership – it starts with you
- Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
View all courses
NPS MedicineWise Podcast Episode 41: Burnout and boundary setting
In this episode, NPS MedicineWise medical advisor Dr Caroline West speaks with Associate Professor Lisa Lampe about burn out and the high cost for health professionals and patients.
Listen to podcast
Applications open for Standards Australia’s NEXTgen program
Standards Australia’s NEXTgen program is designed to foster the next generation of standards developers. NEXTgen is a cost free 10-month professional development program, targeted at ‘up and coming’ professionals with fresh perspectives and experiences from across industry sectors.
Applications close on Thursday 30 June. Full application criteria and a program schedule is available on the NEXTgen webpage.