[Adverse effects, intercommunication, management of knowledge and care strategies in intensive nursing]

Medication errors and drug knowledge gaps among critical-care nurses: a mixed multi-method study

BACKGROUND

Medication errors are a serious and complex problem in clinical practice, especially in intensive care units whose patients can suffer potentially very serious consequences because of the critical nature of their diseases and the pharmacotherapy programs implemented in these patients. The origins of these errors discussed in the literature are wide-ranging, although far-reaching variables are of particular special interest to those involved in training nurses. The main objective of this research was to study if the level of knowledge that critical-care nurses have about the use and administration of medications is related to the most common medication errors.

METHODS

This was a mixed (multi-method) study with three phases that combined quantitative and qualitative techniques. In phase 1 patient medical records were reviewed; phase 2 consisted of an interview with a focus group; and an ad hoc questionnaire was carried out in phase 3.

RESULTS

The global medication error index was 1.93%. The main risk areas were errors in the interval of administration of antibiotics (8.15% error rate); high-risk medication dilution, concentration, and infusion-rate errors (2.94% error rate); and errors in the administration of medications via nasogastric tubes (11.16% error rate).

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses have a low level of knowledge of the drugs they use the most and with which a greater number of medication errors are committed in the ICU.

Psychosocial factors and mental work load: a reality perceived by nurses in intensive care units

OBJECTIVE:

To analyse the perception of psychosocial factors and mental workload of nurses who work in intensive care units. It is hypothesised that nurses in these units could perceive psychosocial risks, manifesting in a high mental work load. The psychosocial dimension related to the position's cognitive demands is hypothesised to mostly explain mental work load.

METHOD:

Quantitative study, with a descriptive, cross-sectional, and comparative design. A total of 91% of the intensive care unit populations of three Chilean hospitals was surveyed, corresponding to 111 nurses. The instruments utilised included (A) a biosociodemographic history questionnaire; (b) the SUSESO-ISTAS 21 questionnaire; and (c) the Mental Work Load Subjective Scale (ESCAM, in Spanish).

RESULTS:

In total, 64% and 57% of participants perceived high levels of exposure to the psychosocial risks Psychosocial demands and Double shift, respectively. In addition, a medium-high level of overall mental load was observed. Positive and significant correlations between some of the SUSESO-ISTAS 21 and ESCAM dimensions were obtained. Using a regression analysis, it was determined that three dimensions of the psychosocial risk questionnaire helped to explain 38% of the overall mental load.

CONCLUSION:

Intensive care unit nurses felt that inadequate psychosocial factors and mental work overload existed in several of the tested dimensions.

Safety and quality in critical patient care

The care quality has gradually been placed in the center of the health system, reaching the patient safety a greater role as one of the key dimensions of quality in recent years. The monitoring, measurement and improvement of safety and quality of care in the Intensive Care Unit represent a great challenge for the critical care community. Health interventions carry a risk of adverse events or events that can cause injury, disability and even death in patients. In Intensive Care Unit, the severity of the critical patient, communication barriers, a high number of activities per patient per day, the practice of diagnostic procedures and invasive treatments, and the quantity and complexity of the information received, among others, put at risk these units as areas for the occurrence of adverse events. This article presents some of the strategies and interventions proposed and tested internationally to optimize the care of critical patients and improve the safety culture in the Intensive Care Unit.