Challenges to patient safety in intensive care: a grounded theory

Objective: To understand, from Intensive Care Unit nurses' perspective, the challenges to patient safety. Methods: This is qualitative research conducted with 20 nurses in two sample groups of two Intensive Care Units (ICU) in northern Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The method adopted was the Grounded Theory, emphasizing in this article a category and its subcategories with regard to conditions. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committees of two institutions, under Opinions 2,755,619 and 2,829,210, in 2018. Results: Three subcategories explained challenges to patient safety, namely: Being immersed in non-systematized work processes; Communication failure among professionals; and Finding gaps in continuing education. Conclusion: The disorganization of work processes, faulty communication and insufficient continuing education actions correspond to the main challenges pointed out by nurses in the ICU routine, generating chains that directly affect patient safety management.