Healthcare Policy Journal On February 2, 2001, Josie King died at Johns Hopkins University Hospital of profound dehydration and the misuse of narcotics. Her tragic and preventable death sparked a timeline of events leading to new developments in patient safety programs and policy change. In her presentation, Sorrel King, Josie’s mother, explained how basic patient safety skills (like good teamwork and clear communication) are used to improve patient safety. The Pediatric Patient Safety Program, Comprehensive Unit Safety Program (CUSP), Condition Help, and adoption of the “Good Catch” model are just a few examples of change implemented to improve the culture of patient safety and learn from mistakes. Sorrell King’s lecture really focused on looking at healthcare safety as a science. The Josie King Pediatric…show more content… The “Good Catch” philosophy supports a “no blame” environment when it comes to reporting errors. “Near miss” and “close call” seemed to have a negative connotation and deterred errors from being reported. Good Catch allows for a more supportive system where healthcare workers are more inclined to report errors. Care journals are also common in hospital units now, making it easier for patients and families to be active in their care plan. Care for the Caregiver is another program, developed to help the healthcare worker cope with the stress of their work. Overall, I learned a lot from Josie’s story and Sorrell King’s lecture. Her talk reminded us all of the importance of patient centered care, a concept I intend to emphasis in my practice as an RN. I was impressed at the strides in healthcare policy and culture of safety Sorrell’s efforts have made, and believe it is a testament to how valuable families are in our patients care. Josie’s story will continue to help healthcare workers create safe environments for their patients for years to come.
