| CODE | HSM5115 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Basic Principles of Patient Safety | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Health Systems Management and Leadership | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Over the last 20 years medical error has emerged as one of the top 5 leading causes of death in developed countries. This study-unit is intended to equip students with the basic principles of patient safety science including models of systematic error, safety adaptive systems, measuring patient safety and patient safety improvement strategies. In addition, this study-unit will also address the underlying theory of causation of medical adverse events including human factors, error of execution, error of planning, latent failures and active failures. The study-unit will also focus on the basic principles of Quality Improvement science including models and strategies for QI, change management and sustainability. Study-unit Aims: - Embed principles of patient safety science in postgraduate education of healthcare professionals; - Help students develop a deeper understanding of the concepts of safe clinical practice and patient safety improvement strategies; and - Introduce students to the principles of quality improvement and change management as an essential process in the context of safer medical practices. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - apply principles of error mitigation through a reactive and a proactive approach; - identify contributory factors and root causes in medical incidents; - recognise the importance of data collection to improve safety; - analyse medical incidents from a human factors aspect; - plan patient safety improvement strategies; and - predict likely barriers in the implementation of patient safety strategies. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - critically analyse a medical incident; - apply strategies that enhance the delivery of safe care in his/her individual area of clinical practice; - positively influence the development and awareness of a safety culture in his/her work practice; and - support a learning from error approach to improve patient safety. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Vincent, C. (2001). Clinical Risk Management. 2nd Edition, BMJ Books, London. - Vincent, C. (2010). Patient Safety. Wiley Books, London. - Waterson, P. (Ed.). (2018). Patient safety culture: theory, methods and application. CRC Press. Supplementary Reading: - Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry (2013). HM Stationery Office, London. - Wachter, RM. (2013). Personal accountability in healthcare: searching for the right balance. - BMJ Quality & Safety, 2013, Feb: 22; 176-180. - Reason, J. (2000). Human error: Models and Management BMJ, 2000, 320:768. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Ind Study, Group Learning and Tutorials | ||||||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Oscar Aquilina Ermira Tartari Bonnici Michael Angelo Borg Sandra Buttigieg James Clark Miriam Dalmas (Co-ord.) Yves Muscat Baron Patricia Vella Bonanno Corinne Ward Joseph Zarb Adami |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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