Reply by Ballard to Kane on "Patient Safety: A Shared Responsibility"

I have reread my article and must concede that your point is well taken. First, let me assure you that I most certainly believe that all health care practitioners who are involved in patient care are responsible for ensuring that the patient is "safe" and that no harm occurs as a result of the healthcare experience. It would definitely have added to my article if I had included some discussion of the need for the entire patient care team to share responsibility for ensuring patient safety.

Thank you for bringing this inadvertent oversight to my attention. In the future, I will strive to remember to be more inclusive when discussing patient care issues that involve all members of the care team.

Sincerely,

Karen A. Ballard, MA, RN
Director of Special Projects
New York State Nurses Association
New York, New York
karen.ballard@nysna.org