Aprendiendo con los errores: análisis de los incidentes en una unidad de cuidados neonatales

Objetivo: analisar os incidentes notificados em uma unidade de cuidados neonatais. Método: estudo quantitativo, transversal e retrospectivo, com amostra de 34 recém-nascidos. A coleta dos dados ocorreu mediante preenchimento de formulário estruturado, composto por duas partes: características sociodemográficas/clínicas dos recém-nascidos, e características dos incidentes notificados. Os dados foram coletados do sistema informático da instituição, em um período correspondente a 13 meses, sendo analisados por meio de estatística descritiva. Resultados: quanto às características sociodemográficas e clínicas, a maioria dos recém-nascidos era de prematuros (70,6%), do sexo masculino (52,9%) e que nasceu por meio de cesariana (76,5%). No período estudado foram notificados 54 incidentes, totalizando uma frequência de 1,6 incidente por recém-nascido. Encontrou-se que 61,1% dos incidentes estavam relacionados a medicamentos, 14,8% associados à perda acidental de tubo traqueal e 9,3% ligados à obstrução de cateteres. Conclusão: a análise dos incidentes notificados demonstrou que a maioria dos incidentes se refere ao processo de medicamentos. As informações sobre os incidentes podem ampliar a percepção dos profissionais de saúde em relação ao impacto das suas ações.Objective: to analyze incidents reported in a neonatal care unit. Method: a quantitative, crosssectional and retrospective study with a sample of 34 newborns. Data were collected through a structured form, composed of two parts: sociodemographic/clinical characteristics of the newborns, and characteristics of the reported incidents. Data were collected from the institution’s computer system, in a period corresponding to 13 months, and analyzed by means of descriptive statistics. Results: the majority of the newborns were preterm (70.6%), male (52.9%) and born through caesarean section (76.5%). During the study period, 54 incidents were reported, totaling a frequency of 1.6 incident per newborn. It was found that 61.1% of incidents were related to medicines, 14.8% to accidental loss of tracheal tube and 9.3% to catheter obstruction. Conclusion: analysis of the reported incidents has shown that most incidents refer to the drug process. Information about the incidents can increase the perception of health professionals regarding the impact of their actions.Objetivo: analizar los incidentes notificados en una unidad de cuidados neonatales. Método: estudio cuantitativo, transversal y retrospectivo, con muestra de 34 recién nacidos. La recolección de los datos fue completando el formulario estructurado, compuesto por dos partes: características sociodemográficas/clínicas de los recién nacidos y características de los incidentes notificados. Los datos fueron recogidos del sistema informático de la institución, en un período correspondiente a 13 meses, siendo analizados por medio de estadística descriptiva. Resultados: en las características sociodemográficas y clínicas, la mayoría de los recién nacidos era prematuros (70,6%), del sexo masculino (52,9%) y nacieron por medio de cesárea (76,5%). En el período estudiado fueron notificados 54 incidentes, totalizando una frecuencia de 1,6 incidentes por recién nacido. Se encontró que 61,1% de los incidentes estaban relacionados a medicamentos, 14,8% asociados a pérdida accidental de tubo traqueal y 9,3% ligados a obstrucción de catéteres. Conclusión: el análisis de los incidentes notificados demostraron que la mayoría de los incidentes se refiere al proceso de medicamentos. Las informaciones sobre los incidentes pueden ampliar la percepción de los profesionales de salud en relación al impacto de sus acciones

Effectiveness of Nursing Guidelines on Nurses’ Performance Regarding High Alert Medications at Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Context: A high alert medication (HAM) is a medication that causes serious harm if it is used in error. Neonatal nurses are responsible for administering HAMs; incorrect administration can significantly affect clinical outcomes.Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of nursing guidelines on nurses' performance regarding HAMs at neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Methods: A quasi-experimental design (pre/post-test) was utilized. The study was conducted at NICUs in Children's Hospital and Maternity and Gynecological Hospital affiliated to Ain Shams University. A convenience sample of 80 nurses caring for high-risk neonates was included in the current study from the previous setting for six months. Two tools were used to collect data. They are a structured interview questionnaire and nurses’ performance observational checklist. Results: The nurses' mean age was 27.79±6.83. 35% of them were worked part-time jobs. A highly statistically significant improvement was shown post-test compared to the pre-test regarding the nurses' knowledge and practices about HAMs at 0.001. Conclusion: The present study concludes that applying nursing guidelines interventions improved the neonatal nurses' knowledge and practice related to HAMs. The study recommended emphasizing the importance of using nursing guidelines for HAMs interventions for improving neonatal nurses' knowledge and practices at NICUs

Committed to Safety: Ten Case Studies on Reducing Harm to Patients

Presents case studies of healthcare organizations, clinical teams, and learning collaborations to illustrate successful innovations for improving patient safety nationwide. Includes actions taken, results achieved, lessons learned, and recommendations

Electronic Prescribing In Children (EPIC): an evaluation of implementation at a children’s hospital.

Medication errors are common and can cause significant mortality and morbidity. Electronic prescribing (EP), with or without clinical decision support systems (CDSS), is a complex intervention that has been proposed as a solution. US studies indicate that there may be a reduction in medication errors as well as adverse events, but equally new errors may be introduced. There is a paucity of studies assessing the use and impact of EP in the UK hospital setting, especially those involving paediatric patients. The aim of this thesis was to investigate and evaluate the implementation of an EP system at a children's hospital in the UK. The objectives were to assess the effect on prescribing errors, to explore the level of CDSS available and in use within the system, to identify any changes in practice and workflow patterns of healthcare professionals, and to determine the views of patients and users. Mixed qualitative and quantitative methods were used within an evaluation framework (the Cornford framework). The results show an overall reduction in prescribing errors directly as a result of more complete and legible prescriptions after EP. Outpatient errors decreased from 1219/1574 (77.4%) to 33/648 (5.1%), a 72.3% reduction [95% confidence interval (CI) -74.6% to -69.3%]. The number of outpatient visits that were error free increased from 185/883 (21%) to 225/250 (90%), 95% Cl of difference in proportions, 64% to 73.4%. Inpatient errors decreased from 85/1267 (6.7%) to 96/ 2079 (4.6%), 95% CI of difference in proportions, -3.4% to -0.5% There was an increase in discharge prescription errors from 839/1098 (76.4%>) to 1777/2057 (86.4%), 95% CI of difference in proportions, 7.88% to 12.94%. The dosing error rate in all types of prescriptions was lower after EP: 88/3939 (2.2%) vs. 57/4784 (1.2%), 95% CI of difference in proportions, -1.6% to -0.5%, but there was no statistically significant change in severity ratings of dosing errors. New types of errors, such as selection errors, were seen due to EP. Although principles of the medicines use process remained the same, the practical approach to tasks was altered. The system was accepted by users and patients, but there was a desire for further improvements, especially in the level of clinical decision support available to the end user. In conclusion, the EP system was implemented successfully. The benefits in medication safety appear to be the results of effective interaction between system functionality and usability, user acceptance and organisational infrastructure

Patient Monitoring Systems

book chapterBiomedical Informatic