Medical office with no specific procedures for quality control and safe work practices

Medical office with no specific procedures for quality control and safe work practices

Introduction

Stepping in a medical office without any specific procedures of quality control or safe
working practices exposes the health professional to numerous health hazards and risks that can
lead to significant injuries in the workplace (Hughes, 2008). Lack of quality control can lead to
occupational accidents such as nurse falls and injuries due to handling of harmful chemicals
without adequate protective clothing and equipment. Secondly, the failure to implement safe
work practices can lead to loss of patient medical records thus leading to negative health
outcomes such as poor disease diagnosis and incorrect lab results (Mock, NugentKobusingye &
Smith, 2017). The failure to have procedures for quality control contributes to low work morale
and low job satisfaction due to the unhealthy and safe working environment (Mock,
NugentKobusingye & Smith, 2017). In this case, lack of quality control measures results to low
patient satisfaction due to low quality care and negative health outcomes. In this case, lack of
quality control and unsafe work environment hinders coordination and collaboration during the
care process thus leading to medical errors (Hughes, 2008).
In this case, the health professional will use poorly maintained medical equipments that
are dangerous to the health of the patient (Hughes, 2008). The lack of specific quality control
measures leads to unsafe working practices since health workers do not perceive the need for
accountability and responsibility in ensuring safety at the workplace (Hughes, 2008). In this case,
lack of quality control can lead to spread of the patient disease to medical workers in the facility
thus hindering disease control and containment in case of contagious illness (Hughes, 2008). In
addition, the lack of working procedures for quality control hinders communication and
collaboration among the healthcare workers thus leading to adverse health outcomes for patients
such as injuries and falls in hospitals. For instance, poor disposal of used syringes can injure
patients while at the health facilities (Hughes, 2008).
References:

Hughes, R. (2008). Patient safety and quality: An evidence-based handbook for nurses. New
York: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Mock, C., Nugent, R., Kobusingye, O & Smith, K. (2017). Disease control priorities, 7 th ed.
London: World Bank Publications.