Workarounds in Healthcare Facilities

Workarounds refer to the alternative methods "of accomplishing an activity when the usual system / process is not working well" (Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory, 2013). In as much as workarounds may temporarily solve existing problems, they also indicate inefficiencies and deficiencies in the current system. Workarounds may at times be effective and more convenient, compared to the system in existence, but a regular use of the same could endanger both the safety of patients and the facility's reputation. A workaround can, therefore, be termed as an at-risk behavior that does not yield concrete long-term solutions to existing problems. Therefore, "workarounds perceived as necessary by the user for patient care, efficiency or safety, may be beneficial, neutral, or dangerous for patients' safety" (Koppel, Wetterneck, Telles & Karsh, 2008, p. 1).

A description of Workarounds in a Selected Facility

Workarounds can take a variety of forms. For instance,...
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