Reclaiming the systems approach to paediatric safety (20 November 2019)

Summary

This article in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood examines patient safety theories and suggests principles to tackle safety challenges specific to paediatric care.

The authors provide an overview of the evolution of patient safety theories and tools such as huddles and electronic prescribing. They look at the example of Paediatric Early Warning Systems (PEWS), highlighting that the organisational context and culture in which PEWS is used will dramatically affect its effectiveness as a tool.

They conclude that approaches to patient safety must see it as a complex interconnected whole, rooted in the culture and environment in which safety interventions act. They also argue that paediatricians must take a lead in improving the safety of the care they deliver on a systems basis.