Some red rules shouldn't rule in hospitals (ISMP, 24 April 2008)

Summary

This article discusses red rules, a safety practice used by industries and are associated only with processes that can cause serious harm to employees, customers, or the product line. The article describes red rule criteria, examples in industry, everyday life, in healthcare and when they are misused, concluding that if appropriately implemented, red rules can have the potential to promote an organizational culture of safety that shares accountability for the safe delivery of patient care.