Banding Together at BRMC
By George Nianiatus, senior writer
Communications Department
Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) on Monday will institute an added safety measure of using new color-coded patient wristbands as visual alerts to nurses and other hospital staff. After a year of preparation, research and staff training, BRMC will be using color-coded wristbands with snap-on colors that are designed to quickly and easily let staff know of a patient’s unique clinical needs, say hospital officials.
“We’re going to use standardized colored wristbands to further support patient safety,” says Deborah Price, BRMC’s senior vice president of Patient Care Services. “We know this is the right thing to do because a color-coded wristband is one of those critical communication points between patients and hospital staff,” Mrs. Price says. The new wristbands with snap-on color tags replace what patients previously received, Mrs. Price says.
Patients’ previous wristbands were color-coded as well but the colors were not standardized with specific meanings that were agreed upon by a consortium of state and national hospitals. “The new color-coded wristband will be applied to a patient’s arm to alert hospital staff of a specific medical intervention a patient requires,” explains Ann Newcombe, RN, a manager of Patient Safety/Nursing Quality in Risk Management.
“Patients could have multiple snap-on colors on their wristbands, depending on their individual clinical needs,” Mrs. Newcombe adds. Here’s what the new wristband’s snap-on colors will indicate:
Red - Allergy. Patients wearing this wristband have alerted staff to known allergies such as food, medicine, dust, animals or other substances;
Green - Latex allergy. Patients have known latex allergies and staff must use appropriate precautions;
Yellow - Fall risk. This wristband alerts staff that the patient needs to be assisted when getting up or walking;
Purple - Do not resuscitate. Some patients ask that certain measures to extend life, such as resuscitation, not be performed. When a patient is wearing this wristband, hospital staff must check the medical record for important information about the patient’s wishes if death is imminent; and
Pink - Restricted extremity. Patients with this wristband alert staff to avoid using a designated limb for blood draws, intravenous insertions and other medical procedures.
“Throughout this entire safety initiative, color-coded wristbands can only be applied or removed by a nurse or designated staff employee conducting a patient assessment,” Mrs. Newcombe says, adding, “These wristbands are designed to only serve as a visual alert to staff and caregivers. It will not replace verification of information in the patient’s medical record.”
Furthermore, any transferred patients wearing colored wristbands from other hospitals will have them removed to avoid confusion when admitted to BRMC, says Mrs. Newcombe. These transferred patients will then have BRMC’s color-coded wristbands applied.
No matter what the situation, “These wristbands will only be applied or removed by a nurse or designated staff employee conducting a patient assessment - or when a patient is discharged,” Mrs. Newcombe says.
Also, any “social cause” wristbands will be removed or covered to eliminate the possibility of confusion, Mrs. Price adds. For example, Lance Armstrong’s “Live Strong” yellow wristband or the pink breast cancer awareness wristbands on patients would be removed or covered.
As a visual reminder, patients’ rooms will have notices placed on bulletin boards about the adoption of color-coded wristbands at BRMC, Mrs. Newcombe says.
“We’ve been working on this initiative for the past year,” Mrs. Price says. “Our Patient Safety Committee approved this measure that will help ensure patient safety,” notes Mrs. Price.
BRMC is among a handful of hospitals in Pennsylvania that’s volunteered to participate in this patient safety initiative aimed at reducing risks, Mrs. Price says.
“Banding Together for Patient Safety” is the name of the initiative spawned by the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, which was formed in 2002. The independent state agency’s goal is to help reduce and eliminate medical errors by identifying problems and recommending solutions that promote patient safety.
Mrs. Newcombe helped formulate BRMC’s guidelines for the color-coded wristbands with assistance from a 20-member Patient Safety Committee that also includes two individuals from the community.
Pictured, Becky Tyler, RN, BSN, CCRN, nurse manager of Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Critical Care Unit, on her upper arm shows the new patient wristband with snap-on colors that will be used starting Monday. Patients’ previous wristbands, displayed on her lower arm, were color-coded as well but the colors were not standardized with specific meanings by a consortium of state and national hospitals.
(Photo courtesy of BRMC)
Communications Department
Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) on Monday will institute an added safety measure of using new color-coded patient wristbands as visual alerts to nurses and other hospital staff. After a year of preparation, research and staff training, BRMC will be using color-coded wristbands with snap-on colors that are designed to quickly and easily let staff know of a patient’s unique clinical needs, say hospital officials.
“We’re going to use standardized colored wristbands to further support patient safety,” says Deborah Price, BRMC’s senior vice president of Patient Care Services. “We know this is the right thing to do because a color-coded wristband is one of those critical communication points between patients and hospital staff,” Mrs. Price says. The new wristbands with snap-on color tags replace what patients previously received, Mrs. Price says.Patients’ previous wristbands were color-coded as well but the colors were not standardized with specific meanings that were agreed upon by a consortium of state and national hospitals. “The new color-coded wristband will be applied to a patient’s arm to alert hospital staff of a specific medical intervention a patient requires,” explains Ann Newcombe, RN, a manager of Patient Safety/Nursing Quality in Risk Management.
“Patients could have multiple snap-on colors on their wristbands, depending on their individual clinical needs,” Mrs. Newcombe adds. Here’s what the new wristband’s snap-on colors will indicate:
Red - Allergy. Patients wearing this wristband have alerted staff to known allergies such as food, medicine, dust, animals or other substances;
Green - Latex allergy. Patients have known latex allergies and staff must use appropriate precautions;
Yellow - Fall risk. This wristband alerts staff that the patient needs to be assisted when getting up or walking;
Purple - Do not resuscitate. Some patients ask that certain measures to extend life, such as resuscitation, not be performed. When a patient is wearing this wristband, hospital staff must check the medical record for important information about the patient’s wishes if death is imminent; and
Pink - Restricted extremity. Patients with this wristband alert staff to avoid using a designated limb for blood draws, intravenous insertions and other medical procedures.
“Throughout this entire safety initiative, color-coded wristbands can only be applied or removed by a nurse or designated staff employee conducting a patient assessment,” Mrs. Newcombe says, adding, “These wristbands are designed to only serve as a visual alert to staff and caregivers. It will not replace verification of information in the patient’s medical record.”
Furthermore, any transferred patients wearing colored wristbands from other hospitals will have them removed to avoid confusion when admitted to BRMC, says Mrs. Newcombe. These transferred patients will then have BRMC’s color-coded wristbands applied.
No matter what the situation, “These wristbands will only be applied or removed by a nurse or designated staff employee conducting a patient assessment - or when a patient is discharged,” Mrs. Newcombe says.
Also, any “social cause” wristbands will be removed or covered to eliminate the possibility of confusion, Mrs. Price adds. For example, Lance Armstrong’s “Live Strong” yellow wristband or the pink breast cancer awareness wristbands on patients would be removed or covered.
As a visual reminder, patients’ rooms will have notices placed on bulletin boards about the adoption of color-coded wristbands at BRMC, Mrs. Newcombe says.
“We’ve been working on this initiative for the past year,” Mrs. Price says. “Our Patient Safety Committee approved this measure that will help ensure patient safety,” notes Mrs. Price.
BRMC is among a handful of hospitals in Pennsylvania that’s volunteered to participate in this patient safety initiative aimed at reducing risks, Mrs. Price says.
“Banding Together for Patient Safety” is the name of the initiative spawned by the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, which was formed in 2002. The independent state agency’s goal is to help reduce and eliminate medical errors by identifying problems and recommending solutions that promote patient safety.
Mrs. Newcombe helped formulate BRMC’s guidelines for the color-coded wristbands with assistance from a 20-member Patient Safety Committee that also includes two individuals from the community.
Pictured, Becky Tyler, RN, BSN, CCRN, nurse manager of Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Critical Care Unit, on her upper arm shows the new patient wristband with snap-on colors that will be used starting Monday. Patients’ previous wristbands, displayed on her lower arm, were color-coded as well but the colors were not standardized with specific meanings by a consortium of state and national hospitals.
(Photo courtesy of BRMC)
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