The purpose of this study was to describe the meaning of caring from the perspective of community-dwelling individuals 65 years and older, who claim a Polish American ethnic identity. As background and preparation for the study the researcher spent 2 years in the Polish American community from which the key informants were chosen, explored the concept of caring cross culturally in the Human Relations Area Files, and spent a summer in Poland--the country of origin for the second generation sample. These experiences revealed that the care expectations by one group of people who are elderly and identify themselves as Polish American are unknown. Interviews were used to collect data from 7 informants. Participation, observation and written resources within the ethnic community supplemented the interview process. Tape recorded interviews were transcribed; field notes were compiled. All written data were analyzed, organized into categories and validated by the informants. Ten categories represented the Polish American elder's view of caring: kinds of Polish symbols, kinds of greeting, kinds of acknowledgment, kinds of caring, places for Polish people to meet, reasons for joining the Arizona Polish Club, reasons for going to the Arizona Polish Club, reasons for giving acknowledgment, care expectations: characteristics of a caring nurse, and ways to express caring. A primitive view of a 3-staged model was developed for generating universal conceptualizations of care from the Polish American elder's view of caring. Relationships among the categories were inferred from the data by the researcher and discussed as themes. Themes included: Arizona Polish Club as a caring place, being with my own kind, togetherness, neighboring, get moving in the morning, being there, taking time out, and having heart. The themes were discussed in relation to the research questions and the concept of caring that guided the study. This study revealed some of the characteristics, attributes, and conditions of caring that will be useful in expanding nursing's definition of caring, devising psychometric instruments to measure caring, and developing a cross cultural, cross age taxonomy of caring. Recommendations for nursing included care and research strategies with elders and suggestions for future study.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Problemas relacionados a medicamentos (PRMs) compreendem erros de medicação (EMs) e reações adversas a medicamentos (RAMs). Este estudo teve por objetivo analisar, classificar, quantificar e intervir nos PRMs ocorridos em pacientes idosos internados. Este estudo prospectivo descritivo de uma série de casos clínicos abrangeu 28 pacientes e 100 prescrições aleatórias a eles destinadas. A identificação dos PRMs se deu por métodos de farmacovigilância ativa e as intervenções farmacêuticas (IFs) foram realizadas diretamente junto à equipe médica. Medicamentos de uso potencialmente inapropriado para idosos foram utilizados por 21,4% dos pacientes; 19% das prescrições possuíam rasuras. Foram encontrados 924 PRMs, sendo 920 EMs e 4 possíveis RAMs, sendo uma delas confirmada. A maioria dos EMs foi classificada como sem prejuízo ao paciente. Foram realizadas 143 IFs em 73 prescrições de 92,9% dos pacientes, sendo a maioria (77,6%) acatada pela equipe médica. Apesar das limitações, demonstrou-se a importância do farmacêutico na investigação, prevenção e solução de PRMs. / Drug related problems (DRPs) include medication errors (MEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The objective of this study was to analyze, classify, quantify and intervene in DRPs occurred in hospitalized elderly patients. This prospective descriptive study of a case series included 28 patients and 100 random prescriptions to them addressed. The identification of DRPs was carry out by methods of active pharmacovigilance and the pharmaceutical interventions (PIs) were performed directly with the medical staff. Drugs potentially inappropriate for the elderly were used by 21.4% of the patients; 19% of the prescriptions had rasures. There were 924 DRPs, with 920 MEs and 4 possible ADRs 4, one of which confirmed. The majority of MEs was classified as \"without harm to the patient\". Were carried out 143 PIs on 73 prescriptions of 92.9% of the patients, being the majority (77.6%) fully embraced by the medical staff. Despite the limitations, it was possible to demonstrate the pharmacist importance in research, prevention and resolution of DRPs.

O SAMU brasileiro utiliza o modelo francês e opera com uma Central Única de Regulação Médica regionalizada, hierarquizada e descentralizada na composição das equipes de socorro e unidades móveis como USBs (Unidade de Suporte Básico) e USAs (Unidade de Suporte Avançado) que variam de acordo com o tipo de gravidade do caso. Na cidade de Ribeirão Preto, o serviço do SAMU, implantado em 1996, era municipal até 2012, porém seguindo as resoluções e portarias do Ministério da Saúde houve a necessidade da transição do SAMU Municipal para o SAMU Regional, com um único número (192) para os 26 municípios do Departamento Regional de Saúde de Ribeirão Preto (DRS XIII) sendo composto/constituído por 38 (trinta e oito) USBs sendo 01 USB para cada base descentralizada, 13 USB para Ribeirão Preto, 01 (uma) equipe de motolância e mais 03 (três) USAs (unidades de suporte avançado de vida) para cada base nos municípios polos microrregionais (Ribeirão Preto, Sertãozinho e Batatais). Com base nessas informações, este estudo visou caracterizar a estrutura e funcionamento do SAMU Municipal e sua Central de Regulação de Urgência e a transição para a regionalização nos seus aspectos estruturais, recursos humanos, tecnológicos e principalmente a viabilidade financeira, considerando o repasse tripartite (estado - união e município) insuficientes. Para a viabilidade financeira foi instituído o Consórcio CIS-AVH (consórcio intermunicipal de saúde - Aquífero guarani, Vale das cachoeiras e Horizonte verde). Os Consórcios Intermunicipais de Saúde (CISs) são importantíssimos instrumentos de cooperação e gestão entre municípios integrados, com 9interesses comuns definidos através do Plano Anual de Trabalho descritos pelos gestores municipais, conselhos e entidades públicas que estabelecem as prioridades e necessidades de determinado local e região. O objetivo foi criar soluções para problemas comuns, racionalizando a ação governamental a partir da realização conjunta de atividades de promoção, proteção e recuperação da saúde. Observa-se o fortalecimento da co-gestão compartilhada em saúde, em especial para os municípios de menor porte, cujas capacidades de investimento no setor são reduzidas em razão do limitado orçamentos disponível, as crescentes necessidades dos cidadãos, o avanço do aparato tecnológico e seus custos e principalmente o ganho por meio de editais de aquisição, compras ou contratação em escala seja de serviços, exames ou insumos. / The Brazilian SAMU uses the French model and operates with a regionalized, hierarchical and decentralized Single Regulated Medical Regulation Center in the composition of rescue teams and mobile units such as USBs (Basic Support Unit) and USAs (Advanced Support Unit) that vary according to with the type of severity of the event. In the city of Ribeirão Preto, the SAMU service, implemented in 1996, was municipal until 2012, but following the resolutions and ordinances of the Ministry of Health, there was a need to transition from SAMU Municipal to SAMU Regional, with a single number (192) for the 26 municipalities of the Regional Health Department of Ribeirão Preto (DRS XIII) consisting of 38 (thirty-eight) USBs, with 1 USB for each decentralized base, 13 USB for Ribeirão Preto, 01 (one) motolance team and more 03 (three) USAs (advanced life support units) for each base in the microregional poles municipalities (Ribeirão Preto, Sertãozinho and Batatais). Based on this information, this study aimed to characterize the structure and functioning of the Municipal SAMU and its Central Emergency Regulation and the transition to regionalization in its structural aspects, human resources, technological and mainly financial viability, considering the tripartite pass-through insufficient. (2013 to 2016). For the financial viability, the CIS-AVH Consortium (inter-municipal health consortium - Aquifer, Guaraní, Vale das cachoeiras and Horizonte verde) was instituted. The Intermunicipal Health Consortiums (CISs) are very important instruments of cooperation and 11management among integrated municipalities, with common interests defined through the Annual Work Plan described by municipal managers, councils and public entities that establish the priorities and needs of a given place and region. With the objective of creating a solution to common problems, rationalizing government action through joint activities to promote, protect and recover health. The strengthening of shared co-management in health is observed, especially for smaller municipalities, whose investment capacities in the sector are reduced due to the limited budgets available, the growing needs of the citizens, the advancement of the technological apparatus and its costs, and especially the gain through purchase, purchase or scale calls for services, examinations or inputs.

[pt] Este estudo constitui-se num esforço de reflexão sobre o tema da humanização no que tange a sua relação com a prática do assistente social que atua no cenário da assistência hospitalar. Atualmente o tema da humanização vem se mostrando como um tema de grande relevância pública nas práticas de saúde no Brasil ao indicar uma necessária e premente reflexão sobre a qualidade das relações estabelecidas entre profissionais e os sujeitos que demandam cuidados de saúde. Tal reflexão situa-se no âmbito da ética, exigindo um re-pensar sobre os comportamentos de despersonalização e alheamento em relação ao outro, historicamente enraizados na cultura institucional hospitalar. Sendo o assistente social um profissional que lida na relação direta com os sujeitos no cotidiano da assistência hospitalar, o debate da humanização apresenta- se como um desafio, tendo em vista a qualidade de sua ação como expressão do seu compromisso ético com a construção de relações recíprocas, livres, democráticas, justas e solidárias. Deste modo, o entendimento da humanização da prática do assistente social que se pretende expressar neste estudo tem como fundamento a visão compreensiva da ação profissional com-os-outros como possibilidade de desvelar novas formas de ser e estar no mundo. A reflexão sobre a dimensão relacional da prática do assistente social é, deste modo, o eixo central deste estudo. Busca-se conceber a humanização da ação profissional como um processo ético- político-pedagógico que envolve a permanente construção de atitudes que possam levar ao reconhecimento das demandas do outro através do respeito à autonomia inerente a sua condição de pessoa-sujeito. O estudo apresenta uma pesquisa realizada com sete assistentes sociais que atuam num hospital público. O objetivo da investigação foi compreender os principais motivos que orientam os assistentes sociais em sua prática cotidiana quando da relação com o tema da humanização. / [en] This study is constitued in a effort refection on the theme of the humanization in what it concern your relationship with the social worker practice that acts in the scenery of the hospital assistence. Nowadays this theme becaming with great public relevance in the practices of health in Brazil. It happened when it had indicated a necessary one and prassing reflection about the quality of the established relationships among the professionals and subjects that demanded cares of helth. Such reflection location in the ambit of the ethics, demand to rethink of behaviors alienation in relation to the other, historically deep-rooted in the institutional hospitalar culture. Being the social worker, a profissional that get a direct relationship with the subjects in the daily of the hospital assistance, the humanization debats come as a challenge ,tends in view your expression quality action of your ethical commitent with the construction of reciprocal relations like freedom, democraticy, fairly and solidarity. This way the understanding of the social worker humanization practice that is needed to express in this study have the compreensive vision about the professional action as a possibility to unveil new forms of be and to be in this world. The reflection about the relational dimension of the social worker practice, is this way, the principal theme of this study. It is looked for conceive the professional action humanization as an ethical-political-pedagogic process that permanently enfold the attitude developiment that can take the recognition of wich other demands through the respect to your inherent autonomy and the condition of the subject-person. The study presents the research acconplished with seven social workers that acts at the public hospital. The principal investigation meaning was understand the principal reasons that guide the social workers in your daily practice in relation with the humanization theme.

According to recommendations from the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), World Health Organization (WHO) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a common engineering approach to isolation room design is to maintain the air ventilation rate at a minimum of 12 air changes per hour (ACH) for mixing and dilution, and a negative pressure in the room to direct airflow inwards, instead of leaking outwards. / In collaborations with physicians in the Respiratory Division and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), a series of experiments were carried out to verify the ventilation performance of an All room at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). Experiments investigated the effects of ACH, the control of airflow direction, the air tightness of the automatic swing door and the application of positive pressure ventilation procedures, such as high flow rate oxygen masks, jet nebulizers and NPPV. These were extensively tested in two different isolation rooms of the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) and PMH, under common clinical circumstances and environmental conditions. / Many patients with severe respiratory infection require supportive therapy for respiratory failure. Common interventions involve supplemental oxygen to improve tissue oxygenation. In the worst scenario, mechanical ventilation via non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) may be required. Since a large amount of aerosols is generated during these interventions, there is a great risk of spreading infectious aerosols from the respiratory tract of the patient to the surrounding environment. / The aerodynamic data in this thesis infonns architects and engineers on how to improve the hospital ward ventilation design so as to avoid aerosol and ventilation leakage. Ultimately, it is hoped that this work may play a role in preventing devastating nosocomial outbreaks in the future. / The design of airborne infection isolation (AII) room has become one of the major research domains following the emergence of the global concern of acute respiratory diseases in this century. These include severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, H5N1 avian influenza, and pandemic influenza H1N1 in 2009. All of which have claimed thousands of lives. Even with the current stringent design and practice guidelines, nosocomial infection of healthcare workers (HCWs) and inpatients continues to occur. This implies that there might be limitations in current isolation ward designs. / The experiments implemented a high-fidelity human patient simulator (HPS) which could be programmed with different lung breathing conditions and oxygen flow rate settings. The patient exhaled air dispersion distances and airflow patterns were captured in detail with a non-intrusive, laser light sheet, smoke particle scattering technique, designed for this thesis. Thin laser light sheets were generated by a high energy YAG laser with custom cylindrical optics. Smoke concentration in the patient exhaled air and leakage jets was estimated from the intensity of light scattered, which was then expressed as nonnalized particle concentration contours using computer programs developed for this study. / The study quantitatively revealed the distinctive patient exhaled airflow patterns and the extent of bioaerosol, generated directly from the patient source with the application of different oxygen delivery interventions for different patient lung conditions and oxygen flow rates. It was found that contamination was more critical during the administration of oxygen therapies, which is common in clinical circumstances. Source control is therefore the most efficient and effective approach to the reduction and even elimination of patient exhaled bioaerosol contaminants. Thus, when working in an isolation room environment, full preventive measure should be taken and it is essential to consider the location of mechanical vents and the patient exhaled airflow patterns. It has also been shown in experiment that applications of bacterial viral filter could be a solution to the problem. / Chow, Ka Ming. / Advisers: Puay Peng Ho; Jin Yeu Tsou. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-09(E), Section: A. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-147). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

A administração de medicamentos se constitui num processo multidisciplinar e um multissistema e seus riscos podem ser reduzidos de forma significativa por meio da implantação de processos reconhecidos para melhoria da segurança. Medicamentos Potencialmente Perigosos (MPP) são medicamentos que possuem maior risco de provocar danos significativos aos pacientes. O gerenciamento de risco em saúde é um processo complexo que associa várias áreas do conhecimento e que tem como objetivo prevenir erros e eventos adversos advindos dos procedimentos e produtos utilizados na assistência, em relação aos MPP, é imprescindível implantar barreiras específicas para gerenciar os riscos envolvidos. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar o gerenciamento de risco de MPP em instituições hospitalares. Estudo transversal, quantitativo, não experimental, realizado em quatro unidades de Terapia Intensiva de hospitais gerais, sendo um público, dois privados com fins lucrativos e um privado beneficente. Foi utilizado um instrumento do tipo questionário, com questões fechadas, elaborado pelo pesquisador, validado para face e conteúdo por cinco juízes e quanto a aplicabilidade por meio de um piloto aplicado em uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica. Os participantes foram todos os membros da equipe de enfermagem das unidades de terapia intensiva pesquisadas e todos os farmacêuticos das instituições pesquisadas. Os resultados apontaram que a participação total foi de 76% da população proposta para o estudo. Todos os medicamentos que compunham o instrumento eram considerados como MPP, entretanto, nenhum foi apontado por 100 % dos participantes como MPP, 17 deles foram apontados como utilizados por 95% ou mais dos entrevistados. Desses, o cloreto de potássio, foi o medicamento mais reconhecido como MPP (99%) e o tramadol o menos reconhecido como perigoso (46%). O medicamento apontado como menos utilizado nas unidades pesquisadas foi o hidrato de cloral (14%), reconhecido como MPP por 78%. O medicamento apontado como menos perigoso foi a água estéril em soluções superiores a 100 ml, reconhecida como MPP por 27% dos entrevistados e utilizada por 90%. Itens considerados rotineiros não foram considerados MPP, dentre eles a solução parenteral prolongada, lidocaína, glicose hipertônica de 25 ou 50%, cloreto de sódio e a enoxaparina, considerados como MPP por 61, 61, 69, 72 e 74% dos entrevistados, respectivamente. Os enfermeiros foram os que mais reconheceram a existência de barreiras de prevenção (96%), já os farmacêuticos os que menos reconheceram (78%). Em média, 84% dos profissionais reconheceram a existência de medidas de prevenção na administração de MPP. A barreira mais reconhecida pelos profissionais foi a de acesso restrito aos MPP (79%). Outra barreira foi a verificação dos certos da terapia medicamentosa, que mesmo sendo uma prática recomendada na administração de todos os medicamentos, foi reconhecida somente por 56% dos entrevistados. O reconhecimento dos MPP, assim como as medidas de prevenção de danos relacionados à esta classe de medicamentos ainda é frágil nas instituições de saúde. A adoção de medidas isoladas ou agrupadas de prevenção de riscos não constituem um sistema de gerenciamento de risco institucional, tampouco em relação aos MPP. A constituição dos comitês de segurança do paciente, além de ser uma obrigação legal pode ser um caminho importante para a efetivação do gerenciamento de risco nas instituições. Diante deste contexto, cabe às instituições de ensino melhorar a qualidade da formação profissional em relação à farmacologia, abordando o tema dos MPP, e aos serviços de saúde implementar programas de educação permanente robustos nos ambientes de trabalho, aplicar barreiras de prevenção baseadas em evidencia de forma sistemática e, finalmente, instituir uma política de incentivo à cultura de segurança do paciente por meio de estratégias educativas, estimulando ações não punitivas ao lidar com os erros / The administration of drugs constitutes a multidisciplinary and multi-system process and its risks can be reduced significantly by implementing recognized processes to improve security. High-Alert Medications (HAM) are drugs that bear a heightened risk of causing harm to the patients. The risk management in healthcare is a complex process that associates several areas of knowledge and aims to prevent errors and events that may come from procedures and products used in assistances. Regarding HAM, it is essential to implement specific barriers in order to manage the risks involved. The objective of this study was to investigate the risk management for HAM in hospital institutions. This study is transversal, quantitative, non-experimental and it was performed in four Intensive Care Units from general hospitals, one of them being public, two of them private for-profit, and one of them a charitable hospital. A questionnaire type instrument containing closed questions made by the researcher was used. Its face and content validation were performed by five judges and its applicability validated by a pilot applied in a pediatric intensive care unit. The participants were the entire nursing staff of the researched intensive care units and the entire pharmacists staff of the researched institutions. The results show that the participants were 76% of the proposed populations for the study. All drugs that formed part of the instrument were HAM, however, none of them were pointed out as HAM by 100% of participants and 17 of them were pointed out as being used by at least 95% of the interviewed. Of these, the potassium chloride was the drug that was most recognized as HAM (99%) and the tramadol was the least recognized as being hazardous (46%). The least used drug in the researched units was the chloral hydrate (14%), it was recognized as HAM by 78% of the participants. The drug pointed out as being the least hazardous was the sterile water in solutions superior to 100mL, recognized as HAM by 27% of the interviewed and used by 90% of them. Routine items were not considered HAM; among them, long-term parenteral, lidocaine, hypertonic glucose 25% or 50%, sodium chloride and enoxaparin were considered HAM by 61, 61, 69, 72 and 74% of the interviewed respectively. The nurses were the ones that most recognized the existence of prevention barriers (96%), whereas the pharmacists were the ones that least recognized them (78%). On average, 84% of the professionals recognized the existence of prevention measures in the administration of HAM. The barrier most recognized by the professionals was the restrict access to HAM. Checking the rights of medication administration was another barrier, recognized only by 56% of the interviewed despite the fact that it is recommended when administering all types of drugs. Recognizing HAM as well as the harm prevention measures regarding this type of medicine is still feeble in healthcare institutions. The adoptions of risk prevention measures, isolated or in group, do not constitute an institutional risk management system, let alone regarding HAM. The constitution of patient security committees, besides being a legal obligation, can be an important path to implement risk management in institutions. In face of this, educational institutions need to improve professional training quality in relation to pharmacology, addressing the HAM theme, and, in relation to healthcare services, they need to implement solid permanent educational programs, apply prevention barriers based on systematic evidence and, finally, institute a patient security culture incentive policy through educational strategies, stimulating non-punitive actions when dealing with errors

A administração de medicamentos se constitui num processo multidisciplinar e um multissistema e seus riscos podem ser reduzidos de forma significativa por meio da implantação de processos reconhecidos para melhoria da segurança. Medicamentos Potencialmente Perigosos (MPP) são medicamentos que possuem maior risco de provocar danos significativos aos pacientes. O gerenciamento de risco em saúde é um processo complexo que associa várias áreas do conhecimento e que tem como objetivo prevenir erros e eventos adversos advindos dos procedimentos e produtos utilizados na assistência, em relação aos MPP, é imprescindível implantar barreiras específicas para gerenciar os riscos envolvidos. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar o gerenciamento de risco de MPP em instituições hospitalares. Estudo transversal, quantitativo, não experimental, realizado em quatro unidades de Terapia Intensiva de hospitais gerais, sendo um público, dois privados com fins lucrativos e um privado beneficente. Foi utilizado um instrumento do tipo questionário, com questões fechadas, elaborado pelo pesquisador, validado para face e conteúdo por cinco juízes e quanto a aplicabilidade por meio de um piloto aplicado em uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica. Os participantes foram todos os membros da equipe de enfermagem das unidades de terapia intensiva pesquisadas e todos os farmacêuticos das instituições pesquisadas. Os resultados apontaram que a participação total foi de 76% da população proposta para o estudo. Todos os medicamentos que compunham o instrumento eram considerados como MPP, entretanto, nenhum foi apontado por 100 % dos participantes como MPP, 17 deles foram apontados como utilizados por 95% ou mais dos entrevistados. Desses, o cloreto de potássio, foi o medicamento mais reconhecido como MPP (99%) e o tramadol o menos reconhecido como perigoso (46%). O medicamento apontado como menos utilizado nas unidades pesquisadas foi o hidrato de cloral (14%), reconhecido como MPP por 78%. O medicamento apontado como menos perigoso foi a água estéril em soluções superiores a 100 ml, reconhecida como MPP por 27% dos entrevistados e utilizada por 90%. Itens considerados rotineiros não foram considerados MPP, dentre eles a solução parenteral prolongada, lidocaína, glicose hipertônica de 25 ou 50%, cloreto de sódio e a enoxaparina, considerados como MPP por 61, 61, 69, 72 e 74% dos entrevistados, respectivamente. Os enfermeiros foram os que mais reconheceram a existência de barreiras de prevenção (96%), já os farmacêuticos os que menos reconheceram (78%). Em média, 84% dos profissionais reconheceram a existência de medidas de prevenção na administração de MPP. A barreira mais reconhecida pelos profissionais foi a de acesso restrito aos MPP (79%). Outra barreira foi a verificação dos certos da terapia medicamentosa, que mesmo sendo uma prática recomendada na administração de todos os medicamentos, foi reconhecida somente por 56% dos entrevistados. O reconhecimento dos MPP, assim como as medidas de prevenção de danos relacionados à esta classe de medicamentos ainda é frágil nas instituições de saúde. A adoção de medidas isoladas ou agrupadas de prevenção de riscos não constituem um sistema de gerenciamento de risco institucional, tampouco em relação aos MPP. A constituição dos comitês de segurança do paciente, além de ser uma obrigação legal pode ser um caminho importante para a efetivação do gerenciamento de risco nas instituições. Diante deste contexto, cabe às instituições de ensino melhorar a qualidade da formação profissional em relação à farmacologia, abordando o tema dos MPP, e aos serviços de saúde implementar programas de educação permanente robustos nos ambientes de trabalho, aplicar barreiras de prevenção baseadas em evidencia de forma sistemática e, finalmente, instituir uma política de incentivo à cultura de segurança do paciente por meio de estratégias educativas, estimulando ações não punitivas ao lidar com os erros / The administration of drugs constitutes a multidisciplinary and multi-system process and its risks can be reduced significantly by implementing recognized processes to improve security. High-Alert Medications (HAM) are drugs that bear a heightened risk of causing harm to the patients. The risk management in healthcare is a complex process that associates several areas of knowledge and aims to prevent errors and events that may come from procedures and products used in assistances. Regarding HAM, it is essential to implement specific barriers in order to manage the risks involved. The objective of this study was to investigate the risk management for HAM in hospital institutions. This study is transversal, quantitative, non-experimental and it was performed in four Intensive Care Units from general hospitals, one of them being public, two of them private for-profit, and one of them a charitable hospital. A questionnaire type instrument containing closed questions made by the researcher was used. Its face and content validation were performed by five judges and its applicability validated by a pilot applied in a pediatric intensive care unit. The participants were the entire nursing staff of the researched intensive care units and the entire pharmacists staff of the researched institutions. The results show that the participants were 76% of the proposed populations for the study. All drugs that formed part of the instrument were HAM, however, none of them were pointed out as HAM by 100% of participants and 17 of them were pointed out as being used by at least 95% of the interviewed. Of these, the potassium chloride was the drug that was most recognized as HAM (99%) and the tramadol was the least recognized as being hazardous (46%). The least used drug in the researched units was the chloral hydrate (14%), it was recognized as HAM by 78% of the participants. The drug pointed out as being the least hazardous was the sterile water in solutions superior to 100mL, recognized as HAM by 27% of the interviewed and used by 90% of them. Routine items were not considered HAM; among them, long-term parenteral, lidocaine, hypertonic glucose 25% or 50%, sodium chloride and enoxaparin were considered HAM by 61, 61, 69, 72 and 74% of the interviewed respectively. The nurses were the ones that most recognized the existence of prevention barriers (96%), whereas the pharmacists were the ones that least recognized them (78%). On average, 84% of the professionals recognized the existence of prevention measures in the administration of HAM. The barrier most recognized by the professionals was the restrict access to HAM. Checking the rights of medication administration was another barrier, recognized only by 56% of the interviewed despite the fact that it is recommended when administering all types of drugs. Recognizing HAM as well as the harm prevention measures regarding this type of medicine is still feeble in healthcare institutions. The adoptions of risk prevention measures, isolated or in group, do not constitute an institutional risk management system, let alone regarding HAM. The constitution of patient security committees, besides being a legal obligation, can be an important path to implement risk management in institutions. In face of this, educational institutions need to improve professional training quality in relation to pharmacology, addressing the HAM theme, and, in relation to healthcare services, they need to implement solid permanent educational programs, apply prevention barriers based on systematic evidence and, finally, institute a patient security culture incentive policy through educational strategies, stimulating non-punitive actions when dealing with errors