Adverse events in critical care: Search and active detection through the Trigger Tool

Effects of Implementing an ICU Discharge Readiness Checklist on Patient Safety Culture: A Quasi-Experimental Research Study

Background: Discharging patients from intensive care units (ICUs) poses significant risks for adverse events (AEs), contributing to hospital morbidity and mortality. To mitigate premature transitioning, an ICU discharge readiness checklist (ICU-DRC) was developed. Enhanced patient safety culture (PSC) is crucial for reducing AEs and improving outcomes. Given the pressing need to enhance PSC in ICUs, this study evaluates the impact of ICU-DRC implementation on PSC, aiming to address a critical gap in quality improvement. Methods: A prospective quasi-experimental study assessed PSC before and after a year-long ICU-DRC intervention at Merkur Clinical Hospital in Zagreb, Croatia. Healthcare providers from two distinct ICUs participated voluntarily in the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. The surgical ICU, where the intervention was applied, employed 106 providers, while the medical ICU, which did not implement the intervention, had 42 providers. Results: Initial response rates were 58% for the intervention group and 45% for the control group, with post-intervention rates of 53% and 48%, respectively. The ICU-DRC was utilized with a fidelity of 65.7%. Due to the non-normal distribution found for most variables, non-parametric analytical procedures were applied. In baseline measurements, the control group outperformed the intervention group in three out of fourteen PSC dimensions. Post-intervention, PSC scores in the intervention group significantly improved in one dimension, whereas three dimensions in the control group showed significant declines, resulting in superior PSC outcomes for four dimensions in the intervention group during the second measurement. Conclusions: Applying the ICU-DRC as an isolated safety intervention aimed at optimizing ICU patient throughput resulted in observable patterns of improvement in several PSC dimensions, with statistically significant changes in specific areas.

Intensive care unit diaries-harmful or harmless: A systematic literature review and qualitative data synthesis

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research was to evaluate the extent of harm for critically ill patients, family members, and healthcare professionals associated with writing and reading intensive care unit (ICU) diaries.

REVIEW METHOD USED

A systematic literature review and a synthesis of qualitative data were performed. The protocol of this study has been registered in the International prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42022376393).

DATA SOURCES

Databases were PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsychNet, and Livivo.

REVIEW METHODS

The search included qualitative and mixed-methods studies related to harm with an ICU diary. Deductive content analysis was used to create abstractions of quotations. Study quality was assessed with the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme.

RESULTS

Of 12 827 titles, 27 studies with 476 participants were included. Events involving the patients, family members, and healthcare professionals occurred but did not result in harm. A total of 68 quotations from patients, family members, and healthcare professionals were extracted. Those patients, their families, and healthcare professionals who mentioned intense emotions regarding diaries experienced writing and reading diaries as an emotional journey (patients), a help with tears (families), or a question of emotional distance (healthcare professionals).

CONCLUSIONS

Writing and reading ICU diaries can be associated with intense emotions, which are natural reactions when coping with a stressful situation. No study reported harm. Based on uncertain qualitative evidence, the benefits of writing and reading ICU diaries as coping strategies outweigh the potential harm. More research is needed.

REGISTRATION OF REVIEW

The International prospective register of systematic reviews CRD42022376393.

Barriers to reporting adverse events from the perspective of ICU nurses: A mixed-method study

INTRODUCTION

Nurses represent the largest group of healthcare professionals and are responsible for improving patient safety, including reporting adverse events. However, adverse events are underreported due to the many barriers that compromise patient safety in the hospital setting.

AIM

The study aimed to investigate the barriers to reporting adverse events as perceived by nurses working in intensive care units (ICUs).

METHODS

The exploratory sequential mixed-method study design was used. Data were collected between January 2022 and March 2023 in intensive care units of one selected university hospital in the Slovak Republic. The quantitative phase was carried out using a specific instrument to explore barriers to reporting adverse events and included 111 nurses from the ICU. The qualitative phase was conducted using semi-structured face-to-face interviews and consisted of 10 nurses from the ICU.

RESULTS

In terms of quantitative aspect, fear of liability, lawsuits, or sanctions was the most significant barrier to reporting adverse events among ICU nurses. As a result of qualitative thematic analysis, four significant barriers to reporting adverse events were identified: negative attitude toward reporting adverse events; lack of knowledge and experience in reporting adverse events; time scarcity; fear.

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of the study, it is evident that only effective and regular reporting of adverse events leads to the minimization of adverse events. To improve patient safety in hospitals, education and management practices must be implemented to overcome barriers to reporting adverse events. The most important approach to overcoming barriers to reporting adverse events is to implement a culture of no blame and a positive culture of patient safety.

A retrospective analysis of adverse events reported by Tunisian intensive care units' professionals

INTRODUCTION

Adverse events (AEs) that occur in hospitals remain a challenge worldwide, and especially in intensive care units (ICUs) where they are more likely to occur. Monitoring of AEs can provide insight into the status and advances of patient safety. This study aimed to examine the AEs reported during the 20 months after the implementation of the AE reporting system.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of a voluntary ICU AE reporting system. Incidents were reported by the staff from ten ICUs in the Sahloul University Hospital (Tunisia) between February 2020 and September 2021.

RESULTS

A total of 265 reports were received, of which 61.9% were deemed preventable. The most frequently reported event was healthcare-associated infection (30.2%, n = 80), followed by pressure ulcers (18.5%, n = 49). At the time of reporting, 25 patients (9.4%) had died as a result of an AE and in 51.3% of cases, the event had resulted in an increased length of stay. Provider-related factors contributed to 64.2% of the events, whilst patient-related factors contributed to 53.6% of the events. As for criticality, 34.3% of the events (n = 91) were unacceptable (c3) and 36.3% of the events (n = 96) were 'acceptable under control' (c2).

CONCLUSIONS

The reporting system provided rich information on the characteristics of reported AEs that occur in ICUs and their consequences and may be therefore useful for designing effective and evidence-based interventions to reduce the occurrence of AEs.

Identifying Built Environment Risk Factors to Provider Workflow and Patient Safety Using Simulation-Based Evaluation of a Pediatric ICU Room

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify latent conditions in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) by analyzing characteristics of flow disruptions (FD) during a simulation of a three-phased scenario.

BACKGROUND

The built environment of healthcare facilities contributes to FD that can lead to clinical errors and patient harm. In the facility design process, there is an opportunity to identify built environment features that cause FD and pose safety risks. Simulation-based evaluation of proposed designs may help in identifying and mitigating safety concerns before construction and occupancy.

METHODOLOGY

During design development for a new 400-bed children's hospital, a series of simulations were conducted using physical mock-ups in a large warehouse. A three-phased scenario, (1) admission and intubation, (2) cardiac arrest, and (3) bedside surgery involving a cannulation to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, was conducted in a PICU room mock-up. Each scenario was video recorded from four angles. The videos were systematically coded to identify FD.

RESULTS

Analysis identified FDs in three ICU zones: respiratory therapists (RT) zone, nurse zone, and head of the patient. Challenges in these zones were related to spatial constraints in the RT zone and head of the bed, equipment positioning in the RT zone and nurse zone, and impeded visibility related to the location of the boom monitor in the nurse zone.

CONCLUSION

Simulation-based evaluation of prototypes of patient care spaces can help identify characteristics of minor and major FD related to the built environment and can provide valuable information to inform the iterative design process.

Expert consensus guidelines for the prophylaxis and management of tumor lysis syndrome in the United States: Results of a modified Delphi panel

INTRODUCTION

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), which occurs spontaneously or in response to anticancer treatment, results in the release of intracellular potassium, phosphorus, and nucleic acids into the bloodstream, which results in secondary clinical complications that may be fatal. Prior TLS guidelines do not take into consideration potent novel oncologic agents or contemporary treatment paradigms with increased risk of TLS. Thus, a modified Delphi panel of experts was convened to provide an update for TLS management guidelines based upon a combination of supporting literature and practice consensus.

METHODS

A three-round modified Delphi process was implemented. For round 1, nine expert panelists completed a web-based questionnaire developed using published literature. In round 2, panelists were asked to reconsider their answers to questions that did not reach consensus (defined as ≥ 66% agreement among voting panelists). Round 3 was an unblinded, moderated virtual meeting to discuss any remaining questions that did not reach consensus.

RESULTS

Detailed recommendations are given for prophylaxis, monitoring, and management of TLS risks and complications, with hydration being a key element of TLS prophylaxis and management. Guidelines for the management of acute effects of TLS and prevention of long-term renal effects include management of hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hyperuricemia.

DISCUSSION

Although the control of uric acid levels is quite effective with currently available agents, panelists emphasize the importance of monitoring and treating other dangerous electrolyte abnormalities such as hyperkalemia and hyperphosphatemia. Guidelines from this modified Delphi panel should aid clinicians in preventing and managing TLS.

Establishing critical care nursing research priorities for three Australian regional public hospitals: A mixed method priority setting study

OBJECTIVE

To determine key priorities for critical care nursing research in three Australian regional public hospitals, representing the shared priorities of healthcare professionals and patient representatives.

METHODS

A three phase priority setting study, including consensus methods (nominal group), survey, qualitative interviews and focus groups were conducted between May 2021 and March 2022. Healthcare professionals and patient representatives from critical care units in regional public hospitals in Australia participated. A patient representative contributed to research design and co-authored this paper.

RESULTS

In phase one, 29 research topics were generated. In phase two, during a nominal group ranking process, the top 5 priority areas for each site were identified. In the final phase, three themes from focus groups and interviews included patient flow through intensive care, patient care through intensive care journey and intensive care patient recovery.

CONCLUSION

Identifying context specific research priorities through a priority setting exercise provides insight into the topics that are important to healthcare professionals and to patients in critical care. The top research priorities for nursing research in critical care in regional Australian hospitals include patient flow, patient recovery, and evidence based patient care through the intensive care journey, such as delirium management, pain and sedation, and mobilisation. These shared priorities will be used to guide future nursing research in critical care over the next 3-5 years.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

The method we used in identifying the research priorities can be used by other researchers and clinicians; close collaboration among researchers and clinicians will be beneficial for practice improvement; and how we can be reassured that our practice is evidence based is worthy of attention.

Use of Diagnosis Codes to Find Blood Transfusion Adverse Events in Electronic Health Records

OBJECTIVE

Electronic health records (EHRs) and big data tools offer the opportunity for surveillance of adverse events (patient harm associated with medical care). We used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes in electronic records to identify known, and potentially novel, adverse reactions to blood transfusion.

METHODS

We used 49,331 adult admissions involving critical care at a major teaching hospital, 2001-2012, in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III EHRs database. We formed a T (defined as packed red blood cells, platelets, or plasma) group of 21,443 admissions versus 25,468 comparison (C) admissions. The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification , diagnosis codes were compared for T versus C, described, and tested with statistical tools.

RESULTS

Transfusion adverse events (TAEs) such as transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO; 12 T cases; rate ratio [RR], 15.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.49-98) were found. There were also potential TAEs similar to TAEs, such as fluid overload disorder (361 T admissions; RR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.88-2.65), similar to TACO. Some diagnoses could have been sequelae of TAEs, including nontraumatic compartment syndrome of abdomen (52 T cases; RR, 6.76; 95% CI, 3.40-14.9) possibly being a consequence of TACO.

CONCLUSIONS

Surveillance for diagnosis codes that could be TAE sequelae or unrecognized TAE might be useful supplements to existing medical product adverse event programs.

Eventos adversos em pacientes de terapia intensiva: estudo transversal

RESUMO Objetivo: identificar a prevalência de eventos adversos e a necessidade de cuidado do paciente crítico em uma unidade de terapia intensiva. Método: estudo transversal, realizado de janeiro a março de 2020. Os eventos adversos investigados foram: lesão por pressão, extubação orotraqueal acidental, queda, perda de acesso venoso central e infecção relacionada à assistência à saúde. O número de horas necessárias para o cuidado do paciente foi mensurado pela Nursing Activities Score. As variáveis independentes categóricas foram descritas por frequências absoluta e relativa, e as contínuas, por tendência central. A medida de magnitude foi a razão de chance e considerou-se intervalo de confiança de 95%. Resultados: dos 88 pacientes avaliados, 52,3% apresentaram eventos adversos, os quais foram associados à maior necessidade de cuidados, gravidade e ao maior tempo de internação. O Nursing Activities Score médio foi 51,01% (12 h 24 min), sendo identificado um déficit de 20% a 30% de pessoal de enfermagem na unidade. Conclusão: a prevalência dos eventos adversos na unidade é alta e o déficit de pessoal de enfermagem na unidade revelou a necessidade de dimensionamento adequado de pessoal para reduzir os danos ocasionados pelos cuidados prestados aos pacientes críticos.

Adverse events in critically ill patients: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Objective: To identify the prevalence of adverse events and the critically ill patient’s need for care in an intensive care unit. Method: This is a cross-sectional study, carried out from January to March 2020. The adverse events investigated were pressure injury, accidental orotracheal extubation, fall, loss of central venous access, and healthcare-associated infection. The number of hours required for patient care was measured by the Nursing Activities Score. The categorical independent variables were described by absolute and relative frequencies, and the continuous ones, by central tendency. The magnitude measure was the odds ratio and a confidence interval of 95% was considered. Results: of the 88 patients evaluated, 52.3% had adverse events, which were associated with a greater need for care, severity, and longer hospital stay. The mean Nursing Activities Score was 51.01% (12 h 24 min), with a deficit of 20% to 30% of nursing staff in the unit being identified. Conclusion: The prevalence of adverse events in the unit is high and the shortage of nursing staff in the unit revealed the need for adequate staffing to reduce the damage caused by the care provided to critically ill patients.

Finding Potential Adverse Events in the Unstructured Text of Electronic Health Care Records: Development of the Shakespeare Method

BACKGROUND

Big data tools provide opportunities to monitor adverse events (patient harm associated with medical care) (AEs) in the unstructured text of electronic health care records (EHRs). Writers may explicitly state an apparent association between treatment and adverse outcome ("attributed") or state the simple treatment and outcome without an association ("unattributed"). Many methods for finding AEs in text rely on predefining possible AEs before searching for prespecified words and phrases or manual labeling (standardization) by investigators. We developed a method to identify possible AEs, even if unknown or unattributed, without any prespecifications or standardization of notes. Our method was inspired by word-frequency analysis methods used to uncover the true authorship of disputed works credited to William Shakespeare. We chose two use cases, "transfusion" and "time-based." Transfusion was chosen because new transfusion AE types were becoming recognized during the study data period; therefore, we anticipated an opportunity to find unattributed potential AEs (PAEs) in the notes. With the time-based case, we wanted to simulate near real-time surveillance. We chose time periods in the hope of detecting PAEs due to contaminated heparin from mid-2007 to mid-2008 that were announced in early 2008. We hypothesized that the prevalence of contaminated heparin may have been widespread enough to manifest in EHRs through symptoms related to heparin AEs, independent of clinicians' documentation of attributed AEs.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to develop a new method to identify attributed and unattributed PAEs using the unstructured text of EHRs.

METHODS

We used EHRs for adult critical care admissions at a major teaching hospital (2001-2012). For each case, we formed a group of interest and a comparison group. We concatenated the text notes for each admission into one document sorted by date, and deleted replicate sentences and lists. We identified statistically significant words in the group of interest versus the comparison group. Documents in the group of interest were filtered to those words, followed by topic modeling on the filtered documents to produce topics. For each topic, the three documents with the maximum topic scores were manually reviewed to identify PAEs.

RESULTS

Topics centered around medical conditions that were unique to or more common in the group of interest, including PAEs. In each use case, most PAEs were unattributed in the notes. Among the transfusion PAEs was unattributed evidence of transfusion-associated cardiac overload and transfusion-related acute lung injury. Some of the PAEs from mid-2007 to mid-2008 were increased unattributed events consistent with AEs related to heparin contamination.

CONCLUSIONS

The Shakespeare method could be a useful supplement to AE reporting and surveillance of structured EHR data. Future improvements should include automation of the manual review process.

The Effect of Blue-Enriched Lighting on Medical Error Rate in a University Hospital ICU

BACKGROUND

Fatigue-related errors that occur during patient care impose a tremendous socioeconomic impact on the health care system. Blue-enriched light has been shown to promote alertness and attention. The present study tested whether blue-enriched light can help to reduce medical errors in a university hospital adult ICU.

METHODS

In this interventional study, a blue-enriched white light emitting diode was used to enhance traditional fluorescent light at the nurse workstation and common areas in the ICU. Medical errors were identified retrospectively using an established two-step surveillance process. Suspected incidents of potential errors detected on nurse chart review were subsequently reviewed by two physicians blinded to lighting conditions, who made final classifications. Error rates were compared between the preintervention fluorescent and postintervention blue-enriched lighting conditions using Poisson regression.

RESULTS

The study included a total of 1,073 ICU admissions, 522 under traditional and 551 under interventional lighting (age range 17-97 years, mean age ± standard deviation 58.5 ± 15.8). No difference was found in overall medical error rate (harmful and non-harmful) pre- vs. postintervention, 45.5 vs. 42.7 per 1,000 patient-days (rate ratio: 0.94, 95% confidence interval = 0.71-1.23, p = 0.64).

CONCLUSION

Interventional lighting did not have an effect on overall medical error rate. The study was likely underpowered to detect the 25% error reduction predicted. Future studies are required that are powered to assess more modest effects for lighting to reduce the risk of fatigue-related medical errors and errors of differing severity.

A mixed methods study to effectively utilize trigger tools in the ICU

PURPOSE

This study aimed to create a trigger tool for our intensive care units (ICUs) to support our departmental quality improvement efforts.

METHODS

We compiled an initial list of triggers used in an ICU setting through literature review. We used a modified Delphi method to develop a unique set of triggers. An expert panel was selected for multidisciplinary and multi-site representation from four adult medical-surgical ICUs of a Canadian city. Respondents ranked triggers on a Likert scale based on its likelihood of being associated with adverse event (sensitivity to harm), and likelihood of being associated with suboptimal ICU processes (specificity for internal recommendations).

OUTCOMES

Our literature search yielded 10 articles and 59 triggers. Completion of the rating process resulted in 12 items that achieved consensus. Triggers included specific clinical, hospital-acquired infection, medication related, and procedural occurrences. One additional trigger (cardiopulmonary arrest) which consistently held high scores but did not achieve multidisciplinary consensus, was also included.

CONCLUSIONS

We used the modified Delphi process to derive consensus-selected triggers to identify ICU specific adverse events with opportunity for improvement in local care. This methodology can be adopted by other centers looking to introduce trigger tools in a manner selective to their practice needs.

Factors affecting nursing error communication in intensive care units: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Error communication includes both reporting errors to superiors and disclosing their consequences to patients and their families. It significantly contributes to error prevention and safety improvement. Yet, some errors in intensive care units are not communicated.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was to explore factors affecting error communication in intensive care units.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

This qualitative study was conducted in 2019. Participants were 17 critical care nurses purposively recruited from the intensive care units of 2 public hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and were analyzed through the conventional content analysis method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The Ethics Committee of Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran approved the study (code: IR.IUMS. REC.1397.792). Participants were informed about the study aim and methods and were ensured of data confidentiality. They were free to withdraw from the study at will. Written informed consent was obtained from all of them.

FINDINGS

Factors affecting error communication in intensive care units fell into four main categories, namely the culture of error communication (subcategories were error communication organizational atmosphere, clarity of processes and guidelines, managerial support for nurses, and learning organization), the consequences of errors for nurses and nursing (subcategories were fear over being stigmatized as incompetent, fear over punishment, and fear over negative judgments about nursing), the consequences of errors for patients (subcategories were monitoring the effects of errors on patients and predicting the effects of errors on patients), and ethical and professional characteristics (subcategories were ethical characteristics and inter-professional relationships).

DISCUSSION

The results of this study show many factors affect error communication, some facilitate and some prohibit it. Organizational factors such as the culture of error communication and the consequences of error communication for the nurse and the patient, as well as individual and professional characteristics, including ethical characteristics and interprofessional relationship, influence this process.

CONCLUSION

Errors confront nurses with ethical challenges and make them assess error consequences and then, communicate or hide them based on the results of their assessments. Health authorities can promote nurses' error communication through creating a supportive environment for them, developing clear error communication processes and guidelines, and providing them with education about the principles of ethical practice.

Assessing patient safety culture in 18 Tunisian adult intensive care units and determination of its associated factors: A multi-center study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to assess patient safety culture (PSC) in intensive care units (ICUs) and to determine the factors affecting it.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study, conducted from October to November 2017 among professionals practicing in the ICUs of the Tunisian center. After obtaining institutional ethics committee's approval and administrative authorizations, an anonymous paper-based questionnaire was distributed to the participants after obtaining their consent to take part in the study. The measuring instrument used is the French validated version of the "Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture" questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 402 professionals, from 18 ICUs and 10 hospitals, participated in the study with a participation rate of 82.37%. All dimensions were to be improved. The most developed dimension was teamwork within the unit (47.87%) and the least developed dimension was the non-punitive response to error (18.6%). Seven dimensions were significantly more developed in private institutions than in public ones. Results also show that when workload is reduced, the PSC was significantly increased.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown that the PSC in ICUs needs improvement and provided a baseline results to get a clearer vision of the aspects of security that require special attention.