Key Terms

abuse

physical, emotional, verbal, or sexual acts toward another which can cause harm

bullying

physical or emotional acts, such as hitting or making harmful comments, toward another person

child abuse

any form of physical, emotional, or sexual harm or neglect inflicted upon a child; can take many forms, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect

culture of safety

culture characterized by open communication, collaboration, and continuous improvement, with a focus on reducing errors, adverse events, and harm

cyberbullying

a form of bullying that occurs via social media, texting, or emails

elder abuse

all direct actions and neglectful actions by a caregiver that cause harm or risk of harm to an older adult

environmental safety

practices and measures taken to protect and preserve the natural environment, ecosystems, and human health from potential hazards and harmful impacts to health

ergonomics

the design and arrangement of workspaces, tools, equipment, and tasks to optimize comfort, efficiency, and safety for employees

family violence (also known as domestic violence)

a form of abuse that occurs within a family or intimate relationship; can take many forms, including physical, psychological, sexual, and financial abuse

financial abuse

the exploitation or misuse of a person’s financial resources, often by a trusted individual, such as a family member or caregiver

hate crimes

criminal offenses motivated by prejudice or bias against an individual or group based on their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other characteristics

Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act

a federal law that was enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; designed to promote the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs)

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

a federal law that was enacted in 1996 to protect the privacy and security of patients’ health information

health knowledge deficit

lack of information or understanding regarding health-related topics that can impact an individual’s ability to make informed decisions about their health and well-being

healthcare disparity

differences in access to health care and insurance coverage

horizontal violence

(also called lateral violence) a form of workplace aggression that occurs between colleagues who are at the same level of authority or hierarchy within an organization

human factors

the interrelationships among humans, the tools and equipment they use in the workplace, and the environment in which they work

human trafficking

a crime that involves the exploitation of individuals for forced labor or commercial sex

incivility

rude or disrespectful behavior that can have a negative impact on individuals or groups

individual safety

the state of being free from physical or psychological harm

informatics

the interdisciplinary study of information processing and management, including the use of technology and data analytics to inform decision-making and improve outcomes in various fields, including health care

intimate partner violence (IPV)

physical or sexual violence, stalking, and psychological or coercive aggression by current or former intimate partners

just culture

an organizational principle that fosters open and honest reporting of errors and balanced accountability and encourages systemic examination to prevent errors in the future

lateral violence

when members of a group who have been historically oppressed or marginalized, such as communities of color, Indigenous peoples, or women, engage in harmful behaviors toward one another

meaningful use

ensuring technology being utilized in healthcare settings is done so purposefully and with the intention of improving outcomes

modifiable risk factor

a factor that others may influence; a factor that can be altered or controlled by an individual or society

National Patient Safety Goals

goals and recommendations tailored to seven different types of healthcare agencies based on patient safety data from experts and stakeholders

near event

warning signal of potential hazard or incident that may cause harm to patients

near miss

error that has the potential to cause harm but is identified before it happens

never event

an adverse event that is clearly identifiable, measurable, serious (resulting in death or significant disability), and preventable

nonmodifiable risk factor

a factor that cannot be influenced; a factor that cannot be controlled or altered by an individual or society

occupational safety

the practice of protecting workers from injury, particularly those who work in high-risk industries such as health care

personal safety

the act of keeping oneself free from injury

physical abuse

any use of force or violence to cause physical harm, serious injury, or even death

point-of-care testing (POCT)

diagnostic testing that is performed at or near the patient’s bedside, rather than in a centralized laboratory

privacy

in healthcare, an individual’s information is kept confidential and only shared with people who need to know; a fundamental right of patients, and healthcare workers have a responsibility to protect this right

protected health information (PHI)

any individually identifiable health information that is transmitted or maintained by a covered entity or business associate, including demographic information (e.g., name, address, birth date), medical histories (including medical record number), test results, and health insurance information

psychological abuse

also referred to as verbal or emotional abuse; involves the use of words or actions to manipulate or control a person’s feelings and behavior

psychosocial health

the psychological and social aspects of an individual’s overall health and well-being

root cause analysis

a structured process to determine factors that underlie errors and adverse events

sentinel event

an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physiological or psychological injury, or the risk thereof; like a never event but is not necessarily preventable

sexual abuse

any unwanted sexual behavior such as touching, groping, or rape; is a violation of a person’s bodily autonomy and consent

social violence (also known as community violence)

the intentional use of force or power to harm individuals or groups within a community

teach-back method

a way for healthcare providers to present information to patients clearly and determine the patients’ understanding of the information; the goal is to make sure patients and their families have received and understood important healthcare information

telehealth

the use of electronic communication technologies to provide remote healthcare services, including consultations, monitoring, and education

workplace violence

any act of aggression or violence that occurs in the workplace, including physical assault, verbal abuse, threats, and harassment