This course will address the importance of reporting errors for prevention of future adverse events and improved patient safety, as well as the role of root cause analysis (RCA) as an investigation tool for identifying the underlying systems failures that may have led to the error. It will also examine the benefits and barriers to reporting and the role of healthcare culture in reporting. Finally, it will explain the basic process of reporting that is common in most healthcare organizations.  

All healthcare staff must be aware of the challenges that people in minority groups may experience. This includes knowing the effects of those challenges on how people seek and receive healthcare services. This course discusses sexual and gender minorities and their healthcare experiences.

Medical errors and unanticipated outcomes not only have the potential for devastating consequences, but they are a relatively common occurrence in healthcare. Accordingly, providers must be well-versed in understanding the basic steps of disclosing these events to patients and their families, as well as the legal ramifications of such action. Fortunately, there are models and ethical frameworks that help guide these decisions and conversations, but every provider must determine the approach that is best for their practice.  

Healthcare practitioners greet, assess, screen, treat, and refer LGBTQIA+ individuals every day. Some may understand the unique needs of this population. However, more information and education are needed to ensure that people are represented in research and are treated with respect and dignity when receiving healthcare. This course discusses barriers LGBTQIA+ people face in accessing healthcare, along with the physical, mental, psychosocial, and cultural factors that affect their health. It provides practical strategies for providing sensitive, informed, and inclusive care. The goal of this course is to provide healthcare professionals with education on health disparities in the LGBTQIA+ community.

Though active shooter events are rare, it is practical and necessary to be well-prepared for the possibility, especially when you work with the public. Between 2010 and 2020, The Joint Commission (TJC) received 39 reports of active shootings that resulted in 39 deaths at accredited hospitals (TJC, 2021). As a result, the Center for Medicare Services (CMS) and TJC require hospitals to prepare for all hazards, including active shooter or hostage events, and to work with their local law enforcement and emergency response agencies to prepare for and respond to active shooter events. Understanding the risks and motivations behind active shooter events, how your body and mind may respond to stress, and how best to prepare for an active shooter event is the best way to protect yourself and others should the unthinkable occur in your facility.