Glossary of Terms
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Accountability: the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable for the quality of patient care.
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Adverse event: a harmful and undesired event which occurs during treatment.
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Agree a plan: stage of the handover process where your assessment of the situation has been given; what you want from the caregiver you are calling is revealed; level of urgency and a plan of management of the patient is established.
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Assessment: the qualified opinion of a healthcare provider, informed by clinical judgement based on examination and the interpretation of results.
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Background: stage of the handover process pertaining to surrounding circumstances and the clinical information related to the patient (e.g. current medications, allergies, lab results, resuscitation status).