Consensus among clinicians about advancing patient safety within a Northern Ontario intensive care unit.

Background. The implementation of evidence-based policies and standards is necessary to guide patient safety within the complexity and specificity of intensive care units (ICU). Clinicians within these settings develop experiential insights that have the potential to further advance patient safety. Aim. The purpose of this study was to explore patient safety priorities, as perceived by clinical experts working in an ICU in northern Ontario, Canada. Methods. A modified Delphi technique was used to reach consensus regarding patient safety priorities. Two rounds of questionnaires were used to elicit the expert opinions of clinicians regarding patient safety priorities. Thirty participants completed the first round of data collection, and 19 clinical experts representing both registered nurses and intensivists participated in the final round of data collection. Descriptive statistical analysis was completed at each round of the Delphi process. Findings. Three points of consensus were reached in round two. These included improving pain and agitation management, incorporating a checklist into the bullet-round reporting tool, and implementing the use of visual cues for high-risk lines. Conclusion. The findings of this study emphasize the value of engaging clinicians in identification of site-specific safety priorities to improve patient safety in an ICU setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]