Patient safety in emergency units: factors associated with adverse events

Abstract

Introduction. Patient safety refers to the minimization of the risk of unnecessary harm to an acceptable minimum, considering aspects such as current knowledge, context, and resource availability. Lack of safety leads to the occurrence of adverse events, which represent one of the top 10 causes of disability and death worldwide. Objective. Identify the factors associated with adverse events that affect patient safety in emergency units. Methodology. The study is characterized as a literature review with a descriptive scope, a basic purpose, and an analytical method. Original articles from databases such as PubMed, SciELO, and the Regional Portal of the Virtual Health Library were considered. Results. Four factors associated with adverse events affecting patient safety were identified: Healthcare personnel factors (errors in medical, nursing, and clinical documentation management, deficiencies in professional skills, prescription errors, teamwork deficiencies, attitude problems, among others), Institutional factors (waiting time, unclear policies or guidelines, inadequate care protocols, working conditions, deficiencies in patient flow, and limitations in the physical environment and equipment, among others), Patient-related factors (lack of health insurance, patient-dependent issues such as violence, aggression, lack of knowledge and adherence to treatment, and adverse drug reactions), Psychosocial and workplace environment factors (fatigue, work-related stress, emotional exhaustion, work overload, and poor communication). Conclusion. Patient safety in emergency units depends on multiple interrelated factors. General Area of Study: Health. Specific area of study: Patient Safety in Emergency Units. Type of study: Bibliography Review.