My first day at Telluride patient safety camp already began to infect me with the ideals and tools needed to change the status quo. Practicing mindfulness, I tried to apply new concepts to what I have seen in the hospital. While the pediatric hospital I have spent the most time at does practice family centered, multidisciplinary, bedside rounds, and have many quality improvement projects occurring, the room to grow is tremendous. I think the most danger comes in “checking off the box”. As Helen Haskell eloquently and bravely put, when a system becomes task oriented instead of patient centered, safety and quality lose. A system for its own benefit will generate adverse events.
The general feeling I left the end of Monday with was discomfort. The idea that I will be taking the reins on patient care in three short years is a terrifying thought. I hope that I can draw on lessons from Telluride to remember to stay goal oriented, patient centered, and most of all scared in order to provide safe, quality care.