Critical incidents rates and types in Italian Intensive Care Units: A five-year analysis. (February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Danielis, Matteo; Bellomo, Fabrizio; Farneti, Federico; Palese, Alvisa
• Is Part Of: Intensive and critical care nursing. Volume 62(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-02
• Subjects: Critical incident -- Hospital incident reporting -- Intensive Care Unit -- Italy -- Patient safety; Intensive care nursing -- Periodicals; Critical Illness -- nursing -- Periodicals; Intensive Care -- Periodicals; Nursing Care -- Periodicals; Intensive care nursing; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.028
• DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2020.102950
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0964-3397

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To describe rates and types of critical incidents in Intensive Care Units. Research methodology: A retrospective study in four intensive care units of an Academic Hospital located in the North-East of Italy. All critical incidents recorded in an incident reporting system database from 2013 to 2017 were collected. Results: 160 critical incidents emerged. The rate was 1.7/100 intensive care-patient admissions, and 2.86/1000 in intensive care-patient days. Nurses reported most of the critical incidents (n = 113, 70.6%). In 2013 there were 19 (11.9%) critical incidents which significantly increased by 2017 (n = 38, 23.7%; p = 0.034). The most frequent critical incidents were medication/intravenous fluids issues (n = 35, 21.9%) and resources and organisational management (n = 35, 21.9%). Less frequently occurring incidents concerned medical devices/equipment (n = 29, 18.1%), clinical processes/procedures (n = 18, 11.3%), documentation (n = 14, 8.8%) and patient accidents (n = 13, 8.1%). Rare incidents included behaviour, clinical administration, nutrition, blood products and healthcare associated infection. Conclusion: Over a five-year period, documented incidents were steadily increasing in four Italian intensive care units. A voluntary incident reporting system might provide precious information on safety issues occurring in units. at both policy and professional levels.