Introduction:

The frequent occurrence of adverse events during hospital admission demands proactive means of risk management, including checking trackers/triggers.

Objective:

To verify the factors associated with triggers and adverse events in pediatric hospitalization.

Material and Methods:

Cross-sectional research based on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) methodology, through the application of the Pediatric Trigger Tool (PTT) to a sample (n= 194) from medical records of pediatric patients from a hospital in the Center-West of Brazil. Descriptive, inferential statistical analysis and Poisson regression were performed.

Results:

More than half (n=107; 55.15%) of patients had at least one trigger upon admission. 204 triggers were identified, with the highest occurrence of a drop in hemoglobin/hematocrit (9.80%), a drop in oxygen saturation (9.80%) and an increase in kidney function markers (9.20%). Of the total triggers, 64 (31.37%) adverse events were confirmed, which were mostly classified as temporary damage requiring patient support (65.62%). The length of stay (p-value=0.004) and the nature of the hospitalization (p-value<0.001) were variables associated with the occurrence of triggers. Character of hospitalization and admissions from other institutions were predictors of the occurrence of triggers and adverse events.

Discussion:

The study found 31.37% of triggers resulting in harm to the patient, early detection is essential in pediatric patient safety, prolonged hospitalizations are linked to infections and adverse events, patient transfers require rigorous and effective safety measures.

Conclusions:

Prolonged hospitalizations and children admitted via transfer deserve attention to triggers and/or adverse events.

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