Patient safety initiatives in Brazil: a nursing perspective

The science development and technology application improvement in all areas of knowledge, including health care, represent an advance in patient care. The health care providers face challenges to accomplish complex procedures and treatments, which demand infrastructure, defined framework, constant process establishment and redesign of nursing care, based on a continuous outcomes evaluation. Therefore, this development requires nurses with advanced knowledge and skills. As the main health care provider in Brazilian hospitals, the nursing staff perform and control the majority of direct patient care procedures, and as such, nursing professionals can be responsible for triggering adverse events that can compromise patient safety. Research conducted in Brazil showed that the quality of health care delivery system and the results of care have significant variation nationwide. Health care professionals should be valued as the one who can promote patient safety, providing high quality care within cost-effective services. Technology is a key element to support and enhance the professional's performance. However, it is also important to promote and facilitate its implementation and development to retain a creative, engaged, skilled, satisfied, competent, and accountable professional capable of identifying and using technology resources in order to assure the quality of care for the population.