Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital launches red light safety project

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Nurses at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse have started a new patient-safety initiative involving red lights.

Nurses have the option of turning on a red light indicating that they are “not to be distracted during tasks critical” to patient care, according to an Upstate news release.

The red lights are designed primarily to prevent interruptions that can cause medication errors.

The facility has placed red lights on all pediatric work stations on wheels. The red lights are also mounted on doors in the pediatric intensive-care unit, the hospital said.

Pamela Haines, assistant director of nursing quality and patient safety, presented the idea of a “no interruption zone” at Upstate to the pediatric nurses, and it was “quickly approved,” per the release.

“We spent time investigating various lights and different ways to display them, staffs have received education on their use, and signs will be visible to patient families and visitors,” Bonnie Seitz, clinical nurse specialist and pediatric safety officer at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, said.

The Horsham, Pennsylvania–based Institute for Safe Medication Practices recommends the “no interruption zone” concept. Patient medications are typically prepared by nursing staff for delivery and documentation at a workstation on wheels (WOW) in hallways just outside a patient’s room. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital also use the “no interruption zone” model.

The “no interruption zone” concept is similar to the “sterile cockpit” rule, which the aviation industry uses, Upstate said. The rule seeks to “reduce errors during critical phases” of flying by requiring pilots to refrain from activities deemed non-essential to the safety of the flight.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com