The National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) have evolved since their introduction in 2003, adapting to the growing challenges in healthcare. One of the earliest goals focused on improving the safety of using high-alert medications, emphasizing standardization and limiting access to minimize errors (Joint Commission, 2003). By 2025, this goal has expanded to “using medicines safely,” with a focus on accurate labeling, anticoagulant therapy management, and medication reconciliation (Joint Commission, 2025). Another critical addition is the management of clinical alarms, a response to alarm fatigue, which has become a serious patient safety concern.

As a respiratory therapist with 15 years of experience in the ICU, I have seen firsthand the effects of alarm fatigue on healthcare professionals. During every 12-hour shift, 36 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, I was responsible for responding to continuous alarms from mechanical ventilators, BiPAP, CPAP, high-flow oxygen systems, IV pumps, and other devices. The sheer volume of alarms often led to desensitization, increasing the risk of delayed responses or missed alarms, I myself can honestly say many of us did not truly miss any alarms or we would not have a job. I have worked alongside nurses who requested alarms be silenced so they could continue their tasks uninterrupted. The 2025 NPSGs address this by requiring alarm system management strategies, staff training, and the reduction of non-actionable alarms to improve patient safety (Joint Commission, 2025).

Another critical development is the barcode medication administration (BCMA) system, which has significantly reduced medication errors. Before its implementation, overwhelmed healthcare workers sometimes bypassed safety protocols by removing multiple medications at once, leading to wrongful administration. BCMA ensures real-time verification by requiring healthcare providers to scan the medication, the patient’s ID bracelet, and the electronic health record, reducing errors and improving patient outcomes. Studies show that barcode scanning has dramatically decreased medication administration errors, aligning with the NPSGs’ emphasis on using medicines safely (California State Board of Pharmacy, 2014).

The 2025 NPSGs reflect a commitment to addressing both technological advancements and human factors in healthcare. By implementing strategies for alarm management and barcode medication administration, hospitals can enhance patient safety and reduce the burden on frontline healthcare workers.

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References

California State Board of Pharmacy. (2014). Enforcement Committee Meeting Minutes. Retrieved from https://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/meetings/minutes/2014/14_jan_enf.pdf

Joint Commission. (2003). National Patient Safety Goals. Retrieved from https://www.jointcommission.org

Joint Commission. (2025). Hospital: 2025 National Patient Safety Goals. Retrieved from https://www.jointcommission.org/standards/national-patient-safety-goals/hospital-national-patient-safety-goals/