ERROR CHARACTERIZATION IN INTENSIVE CARE NURSING

Abstract

This study aimed to identify errors in nursing care in an intensive care unit, according to the nursing staff, and discuss the main ones according to Human Error Theory. This was a cross-sectional study, and the scenario was an intensive care unit of a hospital in Rio de Janeiro state – Brazil. Participants were 36 professionals of the nursing team. Data were collected in structured interviews, from July to September 2013 and analyzed using Epi InfoTM. The major mistakes in nursing care included: medication error, not lifting the bed railings, loss of catheters, probes and drains (cited by 87% of respondents); accidental extubation (72%); and inadequate hand hygiene (67%). The severity of the errors identified involve the care and recovery of clientele. It emphasizes the need for notification and for prevention measures, contributing to the culture of safety and increasing care quality.

Keywords

• Patient safety
• Medical errors
• Nursing care
• Intensive care unit