Risk Factors Associated with Intra-Hospital Transportation among Critically Ill Patient

Abstract

Background: Critically ill patients admitted to ICUs need to be transported according to their condition through hospital departments. Such transport is known as intra-hospital transportation (IHT) and classified as temporary or permanent. A nurse has a great role in this procedure especially in assessment of IHT risk factors, to prevent further complications. Aim: to assess risk factors associated with IHT among critically ill patients. Design: A descriptive exploratory study was utilized. Setting: Intensive care units in Tanta university hospitals. Study subject: A convenience sample of all available nurses (n=60). Tools for data collections: tool I: self-administration questionnaire including: demographic characteristics of nurses, nurses knowledge, nurses awareness, and the nurses risk factor expectations, tool II: nurses practice observational checklist used to assess nurses practice regarding IHT of critically ill patient. Results: The majority of the studied nurses (93.3%) had unsatisfactory level of knowledge about IHT of critically ill patient, 70% had low cognitive awareness about IHT of critically ill patients, the expected risk factors of the studied nurses were related to patients (78.3%), tool & equipment risk factors (64.4%), environmental risk factors (60.7%) and finally medical team risk factors (49.3%). 50% of studied nurses disagreed with the expectation of risk factors associated with IHT of critically ill patient, 75% had incompetent practice before, during, and after IHT of critically ill patients. Conclusion: according to this study patient related risk factor is the main risk factor associated with IHT. This study recommended that: nurses should use standardized systems of care (including checklists, staffing and equipment) when transferring critically ill patients within hospital.