While the action of reporting an adverse event involves only staff and administrators at a particular facility, the process of disclosure engages the patient and his family as well.

This potentially deadly sedative should only be administered by persons capable of recognizing and treating any untoward effects.

Patient safety staff at a Pennsylvania facility discuss their implementation of a patient safety hotline.

A reader discusses the impact at her facility of an article about lost surgical specimens.

The American College of Surgeons supports the universal adoption of blunt needles as the first choice for fascial suturing.

A change in packaging of unit-dose Tylenol for hospital use closely resembles the packaging of different unit-dose Tylenol.

Cardiac surgeon Dr. James B. McClurken illustrates how correct placement and removal of temporary epicardial pacing wires can help to reduce the incidence of adverse events.

Risks, benefits, education, patient consent, and policy formulation are all important strategies to consider before allowing healthcare industry representatives in operative settings.

Reports of soiled instruments contaminating surgical fields emphasize the importance of performing quality control on each step of equipment preparation: cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists advises interventions to reduce the risk and impact of intraoperative awareness.

Storing hazardous chemicals in concentrations that have no medical purpose creates an unnecessary risk of exposure for patients and providers.

An easy way to reduce the barrier to reporting is to share topical Advisory articles with select clinicians.

A redesign in packaging may help users differentiate between skin prep solution and adhesive remover.

More than half of electrosurgery unit- (ESU-) related burns and fires are attributable to inadvertent ESU activation, which is easily prevented.

Reports demonstrate that how we communicate orders to hold a medication can result in medication errors.