The month of November and Thanksgiving. It seems natural that we begin to think about all the things we're thankful for in November.
By now, it's my hope that everyone has recovered from the devastation brought on by Mother Nature last week. No matter how hard we plan things, natural occurrences will ultimately laugh at our humble plans. My thoughts are with those who've lost possessions or loved ones in the storm.
Hospitals in areas devastated by this recent storm deserve our thanks for caring for people injured or broken from the ravages of Sandy. And along the same line of reasoning, I'm also thankful that hospitals continue to pursue the implementation of electronic medical records (EMR), and the barcode scanning of medications at the bedside. This is a significant safety net for patients. A nursing executive I once worked for stated that the scanning of medications at the bedside as truly a "gift to nurses."
I also want to hand out gratitude for hospital pharmacists who are taking a leadership role in medication safety initiatives in their institutions. They are vital to the success of implementation of medication safety systems such as barcode scanning and the programming of IV "smart pumps." Both help reduce medication errors and provide data used to improve care of patients.
And finally, I am thankful that the election is now over. Regardless of the candidate we hoped would win, let's be grateful we live in a country that allows freedom to express our thoughts and choose among those who throw their hat in the ring to lead us.
Here's to better solutions,
Dave Bystrom
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