Final answer:
To improve patient safety, the nurse manager could implement a safe surgery checklist, hire a dedicated ICU staff nurse skilled in preventing central line infections, and promote team communication and coordination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Consistent with the recommendations from the IOM The Future of Nursing report and various patient safety initiatives, a nurse manager on the West Surgery Unit aiming to increase patient safety and reduce morbidity and mortality would likely undertake the following actions:
- Implement a safe surgery checklist, as pioneered by Dr. Gawande and team, to ensure adherence to basic but crucial steps before, during, and after surgery to reduce complications and mortality rates. Such a checklist may include confirming patient identity, procedure, and surgical site, and reviewing anticipated critical events.
- Emphasize the need for a dedicated ICU Staff Nurse to provide specialized care in the high-risk ICU environment, addressing issues like central line infections through strict adherence to protocol.
- Improve coordination among surgical team members, ensuring that the surgeon, nurse, and anesthesia professional conduct a joint review of the key concerns for the patient's recovery and care, fostering a culture of teamwork and communication.
These steps, by addressing human error and promoting best practices, can play a significant role in enhancing the safety and quality of patient care in surgical units.