Improving Patient and Worker Safety

Abstract

THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE report that medical errors claim the lives of 44 000 to 98 000 patients annually1 has prompted many health care safety initiatives during the past decade. These initiatives often focus solely on patients, although many safety issues also place nurses and other health care workers at risk for harm. In fact, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health2 and US Department of Labor3 report that health care workers experience some of the highest rates of nonfatal occupational illness and injury— exceeding even construction and manufactur-