The Swiss Cheese Model of accident causation illustrates which important concept in patient safety?

• A. Accidents in healthcare are unavoidable and cannot be mitigated.
• B. Errors are prevented by multiple layers of defense, and accidents occur when weaknesses in these layers align.
• C. Patient safety is primarily ensured through strict adherence to rules and regulations.
• D. Most accidents are caused by individual negligence rather than system failures.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the Swiss Cheese Model is a conceptual framework used in patient safety to explain how accidents occur despite multiple safeguards.
2. Recognize that the model visualizes defenses as layers of Swiss cheese, where each layer has holes representing weaknesses or potential failures.
3. Learn that accidents happen when the holes in these multiple layers momentarily align, allowing a hazard to pass through all defenses and cause harm.
4. Note that this model emphasizes system failures and latent conditions rather than blaming individual negligence alone.
5. Conclude that the key concept illustrated by the Swiss Cheese Model is that errors can be prevented by multiple layers of defense, but accidents occur when weaknesses in these layers align.