Objective:
to assess the demand for Intensive Care Unit beds as well as the classification of the patients for admission, according to the priority system.
Method:
a retrospective and cross-sectional study, developed from January2014 to December2018 in two Intensive Care Units for adults of a university hospital. The sample consisted of the requests for vacancies according to the priority system(scale from 1 to 4, where 1 is the highest priority and 4 is no priority), registered in the institution’s electronic system.
Results:
a total of 8,483 vacancies were requested, of which 4,389(51.7%) were from unitB. The highest percentage in unitA was of Priority2 patients(32.6%); and Priority1 was prevalent in unitB(45.4%). The median lead time between request and admission to unitA presented a lower value for priority1 patients(2h57) and a higher value for priority4 patients(11h24); in unitB, priority4 patients presented shorter time(5h54) and priority3 had longer time(11h54). 40.5% of the requests made to unitA and 48.5% of those made to unitB were fulfilled, with 50.7% and 48.5% of these patients being discharged from the units, respectively.
Conclusion:
it is concluded that the demand for intensive care beds was greater than their availability. Most of the patients assisted were priorities1 and2, although a considerable percentage of those classified as priorities3 and4 is observed.
Descriptors:
Triage; Nursing; Intensive Care Units; Health Management; Patients; Health Services Needs and Demand