The world recently lost the most recognizable face in “direct response” television advertising, Billy Mays. From Oxi-Clean to Kaboom, Billy Mays knew how to sell unique inventions and was an inspiration to aspiring inventors on his television show “Pitchmen.” I mention Mr. Mays, as an example of the curious, problem solving spirit of the inventor.

A group of nursing students from Purdue University Calumet in Indiana, tapping into their own inventor spirits, have created a unique method of standardizing patient condition identification systems in hospitals.  Researching and building upon similar nationwide efforts, the students fine-tuned an existing system that identifies special patient conditions such as latex allergies, Do Not Resuscitate orders and other critical pieces of patient data.

Their goal was to decrease the number of patient-care errors that resulted from staff members lacking critical data on a patient. In the past, inconsistencies or miscommunications due to the existing color-coded wristband system have led to such errors. The Purdue nursing students noted this and created a written materials campaign to educate other health care providers about a more uniform system.

Nursing school clinicals regularly provide chances like this, to use your powers of observation and critical analysis skills and spot a potential problem, need for a new procedure or the opportunity for invention. This also applies to nursing new grads.  For instance, in my first hospital job, I noticed how two different medications – one a heavy-duty diuretic with cardiac implications, the other a much less serious medication with mild effects – came in virtually identical bottles.

I saw this as a potentially lethal medication mix-up waiting to happen and promptly reported my concerns through the proper channels. Nurses are the eyes, ears and advocates for patients, co-workers in other departments and the hospital as a whole. Nursing school is a prime time to hone your powers of observation and channel your inner inventor.