1 Workarounds and Their Implications for Patient Safety

A. What is a workaround? Identify a workaround (specific to technology used in a hospital setting) that you have used or perhaps seen someone else use, and analyze why you feel this risk-taking behavior was chosen over behavior that conforms to a safety culture. What are the risks? Are there benefits? Why or why not?

B. Discuss the current patient safety characteristics used by your current workplace or clinical site. Identify at least three aspects of your workplace or clinical environment that need to be changed with regard to patient safety (including confidentiality), and then suggest strategies for change.

2 From Data to Knowledge and Wisdom!

How does data become knowledge and finally wisdom? Explain the relationship between knowledge acquisition, knowledge processing, knowledge generation, knowledge dissemination, and wisdom. Then, provide examples from your clinical practice (or past work experiences) according to the following.

a. Examples of knowledge acquisition
b. Examples of knowledge generation
c. Examples of knowledge processing
d. Examples of knowledge dissemination
e. Examples of the use of feedback

3 Informatics and the Development of Standards

Discuss the roles of federal, state, and local public health agencies in the development of standards for informatics in healthcare.

4 What technology do you find most beneficial to use in your work or school setting? Least beneficial? Why do you find this tool useful or not?

Then, using your imagination, look to the future and think about how this tool could be enhanced even further. Describe your dream technology, with consideration for patient care and safety.