The nurse is concerned because a 77-year-old patient is weak after abdominal surgery. Which of the following should be done to ensure that one of the preventable conditions identified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid does not occur?

Question

a. Use the "rights" of medication adminis-tration.
b. Provide frequent opportunities to use the bathroom.
c. Document thoroughly.
d. Complete discharge teaching as quickly as possible.

Answer 1

B
Providing frequent opportunities to use the bathroom helps prevent pressure ulcers, falls, trauma, and even may help prevent an infection from the insertion of a catheter—all are listed on the preventable conditions. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) names select serious reportable events (SREs) as Never Events (adverse events that should never occur in a health care setting) (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). The CMS now denies payment to hospitals for any hospital-acquired conditions resulting from or complicated by the occurrence of certain Never Events that were not present on admission. Many of the hospit-al-acquired conditions are nurse-sensitive indicators, meaning that nursing interventions directly affect their development. Whereas the "rights" of medication administration demonstrates safety it does not relate to the preventable conditions identified by CMS, but does relate to the National Patient Safety Goals. Thorough documentation is a legal issue, not a CMS preventable condition. Discharge teaching is not listed on the preventable list and it should not be done quickly.