A popular English translation of the Hippocratic Oath includes the line “first do no harm” and has been a standard of ethical practice for physicians since it was first penned by the Hippocrates, who is widely regarded as the father of modern medicine, in the 4th century B.C.
Bridges Medical Center takes this oath very seriously and their efforts were recently recognized by the Minnesota Hospital Association. Bridges received two Patient Safety Excellence Awards. The first for its Safe Skin Campaign in which they were cited as reaching “a superior level of performance” in the prevention of pressure ulcers and other skin problems related to hospitalization. The second award was for the Safe From Falls Campaign which is aimed at preventing falls particularly in patients who are weak or have otherwise impaired mobility.
Director of Nursing Steve Spaeth said, “I’m proud of my staff for earning these awards, but more important than the recognition is that they show we are doing a good job of taking care of our patients. We provide the best possible care for our patient’s condition. We also want to do everything possible to make sure that they don’t acquire a new illness or injury during their stay with us. It’s just good hospitality to provide for the comfort and safety of your guests.”
“Hospitals that receive these awards are to be commended. The bar is set very high,” said MHA Patient Safety Vice President Tania Daniels. “Hospitals that qualify have achieved measurable and meaningful progress toward implementing best practices to drive down adverse health events.” Of Minnesota’s 151 hospitals, only 23 earned the Safe Skin Award and 21 earned Safe From Falls Awards this quarter.
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