Area of Science:

• Clinical Medicine
• Patient Safety
• Epidemiology

Context:

• Adverse events (AEs) pose a significant threat to patient safety in healthcare settings.
• Understanding the incidence and risk factors of AEs is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
• University hospitals, as centers for complex care, are critical environments for studying AEs.

Purpose:

• To determine the incidence and identify risk factors associated with adverse events (AEs) in hospitalized patients.
• To provide data for the development of targeted interventions to improve patient safety.
• To assess the role of invasive procedures in the occurrence of AEs.

Summary:

• A 3-month longitudinal observational study in a Tunisian university hospital identified 168 AEs in 131 patients, resulting in an AE incidence of 12.4%.
• Key risk factors for AEs included surgery, central venous catheter use, tracheotomy, transfusion, and drug intake.
• Hospital-acquired infections and unplanned readmissions were the most frequent AEs observed.

Impact:

• The study highlights a high incidence of AEs in a hospital setting, emphasizing the need for improved patient safety measures.
• Findings underscore the significant contribution of invasive devices to AE occurrence, suggesting areas for focused intervention.
• This research provides valuable epidemiological data to inform clinical practice and hospital policy aimed at reducing adverse events.