Preventing Errors in Mental Health Practice

Description: This course provides a continuing discussion from the prior course Behavioral Health Practice Errors on practice errors in mental health. It is, however, a stand-alone course. Social workers, marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors and nurses can expect to learn valuable information about patient safety, root cause analysis and error reduction and prevention. Some highlights of the class include: identifying some of the recent quality improvement research in mental health. In addition, JCAHO patient safety goals and the National Quality Forum's ideas about patient safety practices are summarized. We will further our ideas about practice error by adding some terms which define and describe problems and solutions. Outcomes information from recent root cause analyses will identify critical prevention information in primary problems areas for mental health practice; namely communication, uniform standards, developing a safety culture, and documentation improvements. The course concludes with an actual latent error situation that the participant is invited to evaluate. A discussion follows with which the learner may compare his or her own thoughts.

CE Credits: 2

CE Broker#:  20-11388

Methods: Pre-test, study guide, posttest and evaluation, internet sources via URLs, Q&A by email.

Content Area; Medical Errors, Ethics, Risk management, Practice Readiness, Legal and Regulatory

Purpose: Mental health practitioners will be better equipped to reduce practice error and enhance patient safety.

Target Audience: Social workers, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional counselors, mental health counselors, nurses, employee assistance professionals, addiction professionals, behavioral health technicians, and other allied professionals.