(Under)reporting of adverse events from the perspective of health professionals in the intensive care unit

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the (under) reporting of adverse events from the perspective of healthcare professionals in the intensive care unit. Methods: This is a descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative approach, conducted in the Intensive Care Units of a hospital within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) in the interior of the state of Piauí. Data were collected through interviews with healthcare professionals comprising the multidisciplinary team of the adult intensive care unit. The collected data were categorized using Bardin’s content analysis and the Descending Hierarchical Classification method, with the aid of IRAMUTEQ software. Results: The analysis highlights subjective, institutional, and ethical barriers to reporting. Institutionally, there was a lack of knowledge about formal reporting flows, centralization of reporting in a single professional category, and the absence of an accessible and widely disseminated system. Furthermore, a culture of informality contributes to the underreporting of adverse events. Conclusion: By exposing these weaknesses, the study reinforces the importance of building a solid and transparent safety culture, in which all professionals feel safe, qualified, and engaged in preventing adverse events and promoting patient safety.