[Usefulness of failure mode and effects analysis to improve patient safety during the process of incorporating new nurses in an intensive care unit].

Objective: To analyze proactively the process of incorporating new nurses in the intensive care unit (ICU) in order to detect risk areas and establish improvements that increase critical patient safety.

Material And Methods: Once the risk area was defined, the different phases of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) were applied: work team selection; process design; process phases definition; failure modes, possible causes and effects analysis; risk priority for each failure, and development of ameliorating and corrective actions. The proposed actions consisted of an orientation and training program (theoretical and practical) for new nurses, a supervision plan, a progressive responsibility program and ICU participation in personnel recruitment.