Patient safety in intensive care: development and validation of safe icu protocol

For the World Health Organization (WHO), patient safety can be defined as the reduction of unnecessary risks and damages to an acceptable minimum, and patient care practices are closely related to this process. Objectives: To determine the healthcare actions that should make up a safe ICU protocol; Develop a safe ICU protocol; Validate a safe ICU protocol. Method: Methodological study. Initially, a systematic review of the literature was performed, which sought to know the risks to the quality and safety of patients in intensive care and to support the construction of the protocol. After the conclusion of the systematic review, the Safe ICU Protocol was created, which was validated through the Delphi Technique, in 3 stages. The first round was attended by a panel of 15 specialists from 5 professional categories, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and nutritionists, who analyzed the consistency, relevance and clarity of the protocol items. The second stage, composed of the judgment of 5 specialists, one from each professional category, conducted the qualitative judgment of the protocol. Finally, the third stage consisted of 46 participants who answered a final questionnaire on the relevance and applicability of the protocol, analyzed quantitatively. Results: The protocol obtained a general average of 95.9% of consensus among the participants. Conclusion: The average consensus obtained demonstrates the relevance of building the protocol for promoting patient safety in the ICU and its practical applicability.