SAFETY IN EQUIPMENT AND DRESSING CHANGES FOR CENTRAL VASCULAR CATHETERS: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the compliance of the nursing team's care practice in handling the central vascular catheter when changing dressings and equipment in an intensive care unit. Method: a descriptive, prospective, and observational research study. Data collection was conducted from January to March 2016 in an Intensive Care unit of a public hospital in Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. Direct observation of the professionals was conducted using a safe checklist. Descriptive statistics was used to determine the process indicators, and inferential statistics to determine the association between the variables, using the chi-square and Fisher's tests, with a 5% significance level. Results: 534 procedures corresponding to the exchange of equipment and dressings were observed, corresponding to 5,073 actions. As for the change of equipment, 2,136 actions were evaluated, most of them carried out by nursing technicians. Of the eight actions evaluated in each procedure, only two (25%) reached the desired compliance, with a positivity index between 90% and 99%. Regarding the dressing change, 2,937 actions were evaluated, all of which were performed by nurses. Of the eleven evaluated actions, eight (72%) achieved desired compliance, with a positivity index between 80% and 100%. Conclusion: the results analyzed are far from the desired compliances, demonstrating the need to implement strategies to ensure the safety culture during the care provided.