When disaster strikes in the skies, the world takes notice. The recent incident of a door panel detaching mid-flight garnered widespread attention, sparking urgent investigations and calls for preventative measures. Yet, amid the clamor for aviation safety, a more devastating crisis persists in our health care system, claiming the lives of over 250,000 patients annually due to preventable medical errors.
These tragedies often go unnoticed, accepted as part of the grim reality of American health care. But what if they didn't have to be? What if we refused to accept such losses as routine? Rather than acceptance, we need to apply the same level of urgency and pursue the same level of innovation to safety in health care as we do to safety in other industries like aviation, where this level of risk would be completely unacceptable. From fundamental nursing to ongoing reinforcement of safety and on-the-job education and training, there is an opportunity for change to better support our nurses.
Let's think about the perspective of a new nurse—they went through years of rigorous studies (mostly in the classroom), passed a major exam, were elated and ready for practice but were then thrust into the chaos of a hospital environment. Multiple patients, interruptions, and administrative duties make a recipe for quick burnout and error. Unsurprisingly, nearly 18 percent of these dedicated professionals leave the profession within their first year, overwhelmed by the demands at the bedside after finding it doesn't match up with what they expected in clinical practice.
It's time to reimagine the journey of new nurses—given recent events, why not consider the lens of aviation safety protocols? Just as pilots undergo rigorous and continuous simulation training and participate in extensive on-the-job training and shadowing before they are cleared for independent "practice," so too should nurses. Simulation technology offers a safe environment in which new nurses can hone their skills, make mistakes, watch others make mistakes, and learn without the dire consequences of real-life chaos. Additionally, nurse residency programs need to be built out more across the country, as an additional level of support for new nurses, providing invaluable mentorship and structure to ease the transition from academia to clinical practice.
By no means should these thoughts be misconstrued as blaming new nurses—I was once a new nurse. As an industry, we need to come together to address systemic flaws that fail to adequately prepare nurses for the challenges they will face. We should not be trying to implement change the same way we did when I was that new nurse, 25 years ago. Nursing educators, state boards, health care systems, and technology vendors must come together to provide the resources and support necessary for success. By beginning this shift and improving the system that readies new nurses for clinical practice, we can hope to improve the outcomes at the bedside—reflected in better patient safety, medication error rates, and burnout of new nurses.
The founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, stated, "The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm." By looking at other high-risk industries such as aviation and the safety measures put in place to protect the public, we can transform and hopefully improve the safety of our health care system with the power to save lives and prevent countless tragedies. We owe it to our patients, our nurses, and ourselves to refuse to accept the status quo.
Let's channel the same level of urgency and innovation that we apply to air travel safety into our health care system. When it comes to patient safety, there's no room for complacency.
Tim Bristol, PhD, RN, CNE, FAAN, FAADN, is a faculty development, NCLEX, and curriculum design specialist who has taught at all levels of nursing and is an expert in bringing the evidence base of nursing, health care, and education to students and faculty. He currently serves as director of strategic planning, NurseThink, at Wolters Kluwer Health and is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
