Protocol adherence in the intensive care unit

Abstract

Checklists and protocols have been successfully introduced into aviation with improved safety as a result of this effort. In recent years there have been attempts to introduce protocols and checklists to health care with the goal of improving patient safety. The present study investigates adherence to protocols in the intensive care unit (ICU) in a number of nursing tasks. The results of this work indicate that adherence to protocols varies dramatically between tasks. This finding suggests that adherence is often a function of task and equipment design. In addition, the context in which protocols are being used also potentially determines their success. Overall, the results indicate that protocols can be introduced in health care, but additional considerations have to be taken into account to ensure their successful application. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.