Determining the relationship between adverse events and their associated risk factors in the transfer of patients from intensive care units

Introduction: Transfer of critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units mainly for the purpose of performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures can be associated with adverse events. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the incidence of adverse events and its associated risk factors during the transfer of ICU Patients. Material & Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, patient data were collected through a checklist of adverse events over a 6-month period. The data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics using SPSS software (version 22). Results: 536 patients (91.2%) had adverse events. The incidence of patient-related, staff-related, and equipmentrelated adverse events was 65.5%, 73.3%, and 7.8%, respectively. The incidence of adverse events was higher in men than women (P= 0.035). The incidence of adverse events in stroke transfer (51.9%) was significantly higher than other methods (P<0.001). Incidence of adverse events in ICU was significantly higher than CCU (P= 0.001). There was a statistically significant correlation between the occurrence of adverse events and the presence of equipment such as oxygen cylinder (P<0.001), cardiac monitor (P=0.047), portable ventilator (P=0.004), pulse oximeter (P<0.001) and bedside railing (P<0.001). Conclusion: The results showed that the incidence of adverse events was high. Organizations must identify and actively address risks during the transition. The use of checklists and communication tools related to data transfer can improve the quality and safety of transfer.