Risk Management what does it mean to you?

I don't know anything about the official risk management process, or even know how it's implemented in my organization.As an ICU nurse with a whole three years experience under my belt (wheeeee!), I attempt to remain aware of how I've made mistakes, and try to be willing to share those errors with the folks around me.No, I've not admitted to all my errors. Boo on me.Admission of errors requires a comfort level that in admitting fault, you won't be strung up by your reproductive organs (OUCH), poked with sharp sticks, reported to your State Board of Nursing, then fired.It's taken a while to reach this comfort level.As a preceptor, I always try to tell my favorite "Stupid CrufflerJJ" story to those I try to instruct. This story is somewhat painful, since it makes me repeatedly realize how I could have killed a patient had it not been for the attentiveness of others.That being said, I feel obligated to share my faults with others since I was not crucified by my department's management as the result of a single error. It's a careful balancing act, between being quick to find fault & severely punish the "guilty", and being lackadaisical (oh well....mistakes will happen....move on & hope that nobody else notices). Errors WILL occur. To think otherwise is pure foolishness. Nobody is perfect.I recently started doing a 1 hour presentation to the nurses going through the Critical Care Fellowship (ICU) training program at my hospital. My purpose in doing this was to try and let these folks know just how quickly an error can occur, and the life-altering impacts that these errors may have on our pts and the caregiver involved. I also want them to know that they WILL screw up. Guaranteed.Mistakes happen. How we choose to deal with them reflects on us as individual caregivers, and also reflects on our employers.

Crufflerjj Thank you for sharing I love your post, it sounds like you work at a great place