Patient Safety and Physiotherapy: What Does it Mean for Your Clinical Practice?

Physiotherapists working in clinical settings must be aware of patient safety on a daily basis, but they may not understand the scope of the issue. For example, suppose that a physiotherapist is treating the patient of a colleague who has called in sick, and the treatment plan includes the use of ultrasound (US). Does the physiotherapist know all the patient safety concerns that are important for this clinical situation? These concerns include the safety of the US machine: Has it been maintained and calibrated regularly according to the manufacturer's guidelines? What about the US gel used? Does the clinic have a policy that follows Health Canada's December 2004 recommendations in order to minimize the health risks associated with the use of US gel?1 What are the infection control procedures? Are there hand-washing facilities or equipment within the clinical areas to facilitate frequent hand hygiene for staff and patients? Has the work area been cleaned appropriately? Does the patient need to be screened according to Ministry of Health guidelines for influenza-like illness?2 Have complete treatment records been maintained, including the correct dosage used for this patient?3 What is the practice for treating patients who have been treated by other physiotherapists? Are there policies in place for this type of handover? These are some of the many aspects of patient safety that a physiotherapist must be aware of in order to ensure the safety of patients. Patient safety has been defined as “the reduction and mitigation of unsafe acts within the health-care system, as well as through the use of best practices shown to lead to optimal patient outcomes.”4(p.12) This editorial focuses on increasing awareness and providing a better understanding of the principles of patient safety and of the role of physiotherapists in patient safety. As well, it introduces the Canadian inter-professional patient safety competencies,5 which can be integrated into practice, whether in clinical or academic settings, to improve physiotherapists' knowledge, skills, and attitudes about patient safety.