Implementation and performance of trackers for the detection of surgical adverse events

Abstract

Objective: to identify the frequency and performance of the Canadian Adverse Events Study tracking criteria for the confirmation of surgical adverse events in adult patients. Method: a descriptive and retrospective study conducted in a public hospital in the state of Paraná from May to November 2017. A retrospective review of 192 medical records was conducted using 16 tracking criteria; and the confirmation of adverse events was in charge of a committee of experts composed of a physician and nurses. Data was analyzed by means of descriptive statistics. Results: the mean performance of the trackers was 73.3%. A total of 70 trackers were confirmed in 21.8% of the medical records with adverse events. The mean number of trackers was 0.4 per medical record (varying from zero to three). Adverse reaction to the medication; unplanned return to the operating room; unplanned removal, injury or correction of an organ or structure during surgery or invasive procedure; cardiopulmonary arrest reversed and hospital infection/sepsis were classified as high performance trackers (100.0%). Eight trackers did not contribute to the identification of adverse events. Conclusion: high-performance trackers can assist in detecting adverse events; there is potential to improve the tracking tool, contributing to its performance as a research method in Brazilian hospitals.