[Adverse event reporting in an intensive care unit at Tunja, Colombia]

Patient safety in critical areas has been subject of several studies. In Colombia, there is a growing conscience about adverse events management. This study explores the first phase of this management: report in a typical private intensive care unit.

To assess adverse event report at a Colombian tertiary level institution, through frequency and report category assessment.

A descriptive study regarding adverse event report rates during 2011 period in Clinica de los Andes de Tunja, was carried out, through frequency and report category assessment. Adverse event report rate was defined as the number of reports per 1000 patient bed. We reported major and minor categories of events.

A total of 383 admissions (2374 patient days) were recorded. 54 adverse events were reported (rate of 22,74 per 1000 patient days). The most frequent events were related to intravenous route (55%)(CI 95% 50,1-58,3) followed by process deviation (22%)(CI 95% 18,2-26,1).

An adverse event report rate close to the upper limit of literature reports numbers was found. Probably, there is still non quantified under-report of adverse events, likely due to cultural factors.