Zero Harm Award recognizes high achievement in patient safety

Zero Harm Award recognizes high achievement in patient safety

Christiana Care's Wilmington ICU is one of two units to receive the Zero Harm Award for achieving zero central-line associated bloodstream infections for 12 months.
Christiana Care’s Wilmington ICU is one of two units to receive the Zero Harm Award for achieving zero central-line associated bloodstream infections for 12 months. The WICU has been CLABSI-free since 2011.

At Christiana Care’s Safety First Committee meeting in September,  the Wilmington Intensive Care Unit (WICU) and Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) received the inaugural Zero Harm Award — a new award designed to honor success in eliminating patient harm. The WICU and MICU were honored for their success in banishing central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). The WICU also was recognized for achieving zero catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) for 12 months.

The Zero Harm Award is presented to a patient care unit, clinical department or specialty, or team in the department to recognize the achievement of zero harm for 12 consecutive months in a specific Focus on Excellence patient safety harm measure.

The MICU at Christiana Hospital reached its milestone of one year without a CLABSI in July 2014. Keys to this success are multifactorial and include consistent compliance with best practice methods for central line placement, maintenance and timely removal of central lines.
The MICU at Christiana Hospital reached its milestone of one year without a CLABSI in July 2014. Keys to this success are multifactorial and include consistent compliance with best practice methods for central line placement, maintenance and timely removal of central lines.

Focus on Excellence patient-safety harm measures include:

  • Hospital-acquired infections, such as CLABSI and CAUTI ; C-Difficile; MRSA; and surgical site infections (SSIs) for both colon resection and abdominal hysterectomies.
  • Patient falls with major injury.
  • Patient safety indicators (PSIs), such as pressure ulcers, death in surgical complications, iatrogenic pneumothorax, post op injuries and complications, and accidental puncture/laceration.

The Zero Harm Award initially will focus on hospital acquired infections and patient falls without major injury then expand to include PSIs and other Focus on Excellence harm measures.

“This award supports the achievement of high reliability and innovative approaches in making care safer for our patients and supports The Christiana Care Way,” said Robert Dressler, M.D., MBA, associate patient safety officer and vice chair and director of Patient Safety and Quality, Department of Medicine.

The Zero Harm Award is presented at the Safety First Committee meeting and prominently displayed on the Quality and Safety intranet site. Awardees also will be recognized at Christiana Care’s annual Focus on Excellence Award Ceremony.

Top