Author: Patients for Patient Safety Canada

Tips from the Experts: How to Reduce the Risk of Infection in Healthcare Facilities

Written by Patients for Patient Safety Canada on November 13, 2024. Posted in Resources.

Modified from Donskey CJ. Am J Infect Control 2023 The theme for World AMR Awareness Day is AMR is invisible, I am not. Kim Neudorf PFPSC: AMR (antimicrobial resistance) is a complicated term. To simplify, some refer to AMR as superbugs. Patients may not pay much attention to AMR until their infection does not respond to medication treatment, such as an antibiotic prescription. When these medications are ineffective, the infection lingers, hospitalizations are prolonged, and there is a possibility of death. We all understand infection. Yet, being infected with one...

AMR Resources

Written by Patients for Patient Safety Canada on November 1, 2024. Posted in Resources.

Wait and See Whats Bugging You AMR Aware Canada selected resources and stories to help you prevent infections safely. Antimicrobial resistance awareness materials from the Public Health Agency of Canada. Your health practices matter: frequent hand hygiene, manage chronic conditions, keep wounds clean, cough etiquette, environmental cleaning, cook foods safely, practice safe sex, update vaccinations, notify healthcare providers if you develop diarrhea, discuss how to prevent infections with your care providers. See guidance from Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Tools...

What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Written by Patients for Patient Safety Canada on October 30, 2024. Posted in Resources.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most urgent health threats we face globally. Imagine this: You or someone you love develops an infection. It’s something common – maybe an infected tooth, a wound, or pneumonia. Antibiotics are taken exactly as prescribed, but they have no effect! The infection persists and even worsens. What is going on? It’s a case of antimicrobial resistance. It means that the bacteria that caused the infection is resistant to the antibiotic. Certain bacteria have adapted to survive the effects of antibiotics. In some cases, no antibiotics...

What is harm as we know it?

Written by Patients for Patient Safety Canada on October 24, 2024. Posted in Resources.

Simply put, harm is the negative effect which patients experience as a result of health care or treatment in any type of setting (i.e. hospital, emergency room, home, long-term care, other) and from different care providers. Patients see harm differently than do healthcare professionals. Patients or their family/caregiver may see, hear, feel or know that something may be wrong or getting worse with the care and treatment received before care providers do. TYPES OF HARM EXPERIENCED Most people think about physical harm when we talk about harm in healthcare. However,...

Have you experienced harm in healthcare?

Written by Patients for Patient Safety Canada on October 22, 2024. Posted in Resources.

Have you, or a loved one, experienced a patient safety incident? A patient safety incident is an event or circumstance which could have resulted, or did result, in unnecessary harm to a patient. There are three types of patient safety incidents: Harmful incident: A patient safety incident that resulted in harm to the patient. Near miss: A patient safety incident that did not reach the patient and therefore no harm resulted. No-harm incident: A patient safety incident that reached the patient but no discernible harm resulted. While we are not able to provide direct...

Resources to support a safe care journey

Written by Patients for Patient Safety Canada on October 22, 2024. Posted in Resources.

Preventing harm is everyone’s responsibility; the more prepared and involved we are in our care or the care of our loved ones, the safer it will be. Ask about safety risks and how you can help mitigate them at every critical point in your healthcare journey. Also ask questions about your care plan and have it explained so you understand. Listen carefully to the information received, take notes, request translation or cultural, emotional, or spiritual support if needed, and bring someone with you on your healthcare journey. Act by speaking up every...