DOH Nursing Abu Dhabi DOH Standards & Patient Safety 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of the Surgical Safety Checklist (WHO) as adopted by DOH Abu Dhabi?
- Prevent surgical errors by ensuring critical safety checks at sign-in, time-out, and sign-out phases (Correct answer)
- Provide a billing record for surgical procedures
- Document surgeon credentials before each case
- Replace the surgical consent form
Correct answer: Prevent surgical errors by ensuring critical safety checks at sign-in, time-out, and sign-out phases
The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist reduces surgical mortality and complications through three phases: Sign-In (before anesthesia), Time-Out (before incision — final verification of patient, site, procedure), and Sign-Out (before leaving OR — instrument count, specimen labeling). Its use is mandatory in DOH-accredited facilities.
Question 2: A patient in Abu Dhabi refuses a blood transfusion on religious grounds. What is the nurse's responsibility?
- Respect the patient's autonomous decision, document the informed refusal, and notify the treating team to explore alternatives (Correct answer)
- Proceed with the transfusion because it is life-saving
- Contact the patient's family to override the decision
- Request a court order immediately without discussing alternatives
Correct answer: Respect the patient's autonomous decision, document the informed refusal, and notify the treating team to explore alternatives
Patient autonomy includes the right to refuse treatment, including blood transfusions, even on religious grounds. The nurse must document the informed refusal, ensure alternatives are explored (cell salvage, EPO, volume expanders), and the team must respect the decision. UAE law and Islamic bioethics both support informed patient autonomy.
Question 3: Which color-coded wristband system is standardized for patient safety in Abu Dhabi DOH-regulated facilities?
- Red = allergy, yellow = fall risk, purple = DNAR (Correct answer)
- Blue = allergy, red = DNAR, green = fall risk
- White = allergy, orange = fall risk, black = DNAR
- No standardized color coding exists in Abu Dhabi
Correct answer: Red = allergy, yellow = fall risk, purple = DNAR
DOH Abu Dhabi adopted standardized color-coded wristbands: Red for allergy, Yellow for fall risk, Purple (or Pink) for DNAR. This standardization aligns with international patient safety initiatives to reduce errors when patients transfer between units or facilities.
Question 4: What does 'open disclosure' mean in the context of DOH Abu Dhabi patient safety standards?
- Openly communicating to a patient and/or family when something has gone wrong in their care, including an apology (Correct answer)
- Publishing all hospital infection rates online
- Sharing patient data with the government for research purposes
- Disclosing hospital financial information to patients before admission
Correct answer: Openly communicating to a patient and/or family when something has gone wrong in their care, including an apology
Open disclosure is a professional and ethical obligation to tell patients and families when something has gone wrong with their care, express genuine empathy and apology, explain what happened and why, and describe what will be done to prevent recurrence. It is a core component of patient safety culture.
Question 5: A nurse in Abu Dhabi identifies that a patient has a pressure injury that was not present on admission. What should be documented and reported?
- Document the location, stage, size, and characteristics; complete a pressure injury incident report and notify the treating physician (Correct answer)
- Document in nursing notes only without completing an incident report
- Only report to the unit manager verbally
- Report to the patient's family without completing any formal documentation
Correct answer: Document the location, stage, size, and characteristics; complete a pressure injury incident report and notify the treating physician
Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) are reportable adverse events under DOH and quality standards. Documentation must include full wound assessment. An incident report is filed for quality improvement. The physician is notified for treatment orders. These are tracked as quality indicators.
Question 6: According to DOH Abu Dhabi standards, what is the correct procedure for patient handover between nursing shifts?
- Structured bedside handover using SBAR or equivalent, with direct patient involvement where possible (Correct answer)
- Quick verbal summary in the nurses' station hallway
- Written note in the patient chart only, no verbal communication required
- Handover only when the patient's condition changes significantly
Correct answer: Structured bedside handover using SBAR or equivalent, with direct patient involvement where possible
DOH and JCI standards require structured, standardized handover at the bedside using a framework (SBAR) that includes the patient, promotes patient engagement, and ensures critical information is communicated. Bedside handover also allows visual patient verification and reduces error.
DOH Nursing Abu Dhabi DOH Standards & Patient Safety 3
What is the purpose of the Surgical Safety Checklist (WHO) as adopted by DOH Abu Dhabi?