National Quality Forum (NQF) Safe Practices

item # our brief description our category our code
1 Create a healthcare culture of safety. (NQF Safe Practice 1) "A culture that ov... safe practices nqfsp1
1 Create a healthcare culture of safety. (NQF Safe Practice 1) "A culture that... safe practices nqfsp1
2 For designated high-risk, elective surgical procedures or other specified car... safe practices nqfsp2
3 Specify an explicit protocol to be used to ensure an adequate level of nursin... safe practices nqfsp3
4 All patients in general intensive care units (both adult and pediatric) shoul... safe practices nqfsp4
5 Pharmacists should actively participate in the medication-use process, includ... safe practices nqfsp5
6 Verbal orders should be recorded whenever possible and immediately read back ... safe practices nqfsp6
7 Use only standardized abbreviations and dose designations. (NQF Safe Practic... safe practices nqfsp7
8 Patient care summaries or other similar records should not be prepared from m... safe practices nqfsp8
9 Ensure that care information, especially changes in orders and new diagnostic... safe practices nqfsp9
10 Ask each patient or legal surrogate to recount what he or she has been told d... safe practices nqfsp10
11 Ensure that written documentation of the patient's preference for life-sustai... safe practices nqfsp11
12 Implement a computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) system. (NQF Safe Prac... safe practices nqfsp12
13 Implement a standardized protocol to prevent the mislabeling of radiographs. ... safe practices nqfsp13
14 Implement standardized protocols to prevent the occurrence of wrong-site proc... safe practices nqfsp14
15 Evaluate each patient undergoing elective surgery for risk of an acute ischem... safe practices nqfsp15
16 Evaluate each patient upon admission, and regularly thereafter, for the risk ... safe practices nqfsp16
17 Evaluate each patient upon admission, and regularly thereafter, for the risk ... safe practices nqfsp17
18 Utilize dedicated anti-thrombotic (anti-coagulation) services that facilitate... safe practices nqfsp18
19 Upon admission, and regularly thereafter, evaluate each patient for the risk ... safe practices nqfsp19
20 Adhere to effective methods of preventing central venous catheter-associated ... safe practices nqfsp20
21 Evaluate each pre-operative patient in light of his or her planned surgical p... safe practices nqfsp21
22 Utilize validated protocols to evaluate patients who are at risk for contrast... safe practices nqfsp22
23 Evaluate each patient upon admission, and regularly thereafter, for risk of m... safe practices nqfsp23
24 Whenever a pneumatic tourniquet is used, evaluate the patient for the risk of... safe practices nqfsp24
25 Decontaminate hands with either a hygienic hand rub or by washing with a disi... safe practices nqfsp25
26 Vaccinate healthcare workers against influenza to protect both them and patie... safe practices nqfsp26
27 Keep workspaces where medications are prepared clean, orderly, well lit, and ... safe practices nqfsp27
28 Standardize the methods for labeling, packaging, and storing medications. (NQ... safe practices nqfsp28
29 Identify all "high alert" drugs (e.g., intravenous adrenergic agonists and an... safe practices nqfsp29
30 Dispense medications in unit-dose or, when appropriate, unit-of-use form, whe... safe practices nqfsp30

NOTES:

  • Some indicators appear on more than one list.
  • Area rates apply to geographic areas, not to hospitals.
  • The Kentucky rates in our report are area rates.