The patient or patient advocate is often the first person to detect or suspect a problem with the care or treatment the patient is receiving. In addition, he or she may have useful information about the onset of symptoms, previous medical history, or other details important for the health care provider to know. A patient who is active in his or her care improves the quality of that care and can protect his or her own safety.
To prepare for this Discussion:
- Review the “Speak Up” materials and other Learning Resources.
- Locate two reputable resources about the role of patients in protecting their own safety.
- Revisit the case study you identified in Week 1.
BY DAY 4
Post a brief description of your chosen case study. Using the “Speak Up” materials and the two resources you identified, suggest questions the patient or patient advocate could have asked that might have prevented or minimized the harm suffered by the patient. Explain how those questions might have influenced the outcome. Then, identify any possible barriers discouraging the patient or patient advocate from questioning the provider. Barriers may include cultural, generational, or other issues.
Support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and/or additional sources, as appropriate. Your citations must be in APA format.