A segurança do doente no eixo do cuidado especializado

Abstract

Nurses view their progression towards professional excellence as a duty, not only to their patients, but also – and mostly – to themselves. It entails the gathering of knowledge and a process of continuous development. By integrating the acquired information, nurses are able to provide high-quality and safe care, fully employing their ethical, technical, scientific and human skills. In this sense, the present report depicts a search for personal and professional insights. It portrays – in a retrospective, introspective and reflective manner – the acquisition of skills, within the scope of the Master’s Degree in Nursing with a Specialisation in Medical-Surgical Nursing focused on Critical Care. The corresponding activities were conducted during two internships: one carried out at an Intensive Care Unit and another performed at an Emergency Department. The subject «Patient Safety in Specialised Care» was unquestionably present in the aforesaid internship periods. It was previously identified as a topic of interest, during the development of a scoping review, which intended to appraise the real impact of personal mobile phone utilisation in the operating theatre. The practice of using mobile phones in nursing care contexts has been documented and there is evidence that points to potential risks concerning patient safety. Such results are consistent with the findings of the abovementioned scoping review: 73.3% of the included works revealed negative effects of the practice under study, namely the risk of infection due to the devices’ contamination and the risk of distraction within the multidisciplinary team. The diffusion of the scoping review’s outcomes, both during the internship periods and in the form of a scientific communication, was in itself an effort aimed at ensuring patient safety. On a practical level, the provision of nursing care and the interactions with colleagues were based on the adoption of safe practices – a course of action duly evidenced and supported, throughout this report, by bibliographical sources. The theoretical frameworks created by Afaf Meleis (Transitions Theory), Patricia Benner (From Novice to Expert), Katharine Kolcaba (Comfort Theory), and Patrícia Pontífice Sousa (The Elderly Patient’s Comfort), were essential for the skill acquisition process, providing a basis for reflection throughout the internships and the present document’s preparation. In this report, the Comfort Theory and the contribution of Patrícia Pontífice Sousa (which addresses the comfort of elderly patients) are the most noteworthy references. Both concepts are in line with the author’s view of specialised care, covering several aspects in order to ensure patient safety during the operationalisation of care provision.

Date of Award	6 Nov 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Pontífice-Sousa (Supervisor)