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Study: Critical care units a magnet for adverse events

Infection Control Monitor, August 19, 2005

Patients in critical care units face a significant risk for preventable adverse events and serious medical errors, according to a study that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) recently sponsored.

The study-which tracked patients from two intensive care units at an academic hospital, a medical intensive care unit, and a coronary critical care unit-found that more than 20% of the patients experienced an adverse event.

Almost 45% of these events were preventable, say researchers. A high number of the events involved medication, specifically giving patients the wrong dose.

The researchers conducted their observations over nine three-week periods.

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