13: AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE SURGICAL SAFETY CHECKLIST ACCORDING TO PRACTICE-BASED EVIDENCE

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: One of the primary duties that circulating and scrub nurses fulfill is to record instruments used and procedures adopted during a surgical operation. An appropriate checklist based on evidence and guidelines can reduce the occurrence of legal and ethical complications in this field. The present research was performed to explore perspectives of operating room personnel on both the existing checklist and the improved one that was produced on the basis of evidence and guidelines available in Isfahan's Alzahra University Hospital. METHODS: This one-group and two-stage trial study examined perspectives of 28 operating room personnel on both the existing Surgical Safety Checklist and the improved one. The latter was provided on the basis of books, results of studies, and qualified specialists' attitudes. The first section of the questionnaire was distributed to the sample in order to conduct an opinion poll about the present checklist. Next, they were asked to have the improved checklist for 3 weeks. Finally, another opinion poll was carried out about this checklist. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software as well as descriptive and analytical statistical tests. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 25% (7 persons) and 75% (21 persons) were men and women respectively. The majority of the respondents, i.e. 60% (17 persons), had a bachelor's degree. Moreover, 21.6% of the sample had more than 5 years of professional experience. The items in the improved surgical safety checklist were as follows: including a space for the signature of the scrub nurse and personnel during the shift change and mentioning instruments used during an operation as well as different phases of surgery one by one. In general, the personnel's perspectives on the improved checklist, compared with the present checklist, were statistically significantly different (p<0.05). That is to say the improved checklist is a more comprehensive guide than the existing checklist as for keeping a checklist of instruments applied and procedures adopted. Furthermore, it is crucial to mention names of instruments on the checklist completely and individually. CONCLUSION: It is essential to keep a complete and comprehensive checklist of procedures implemented and instruments used during a surgical operation. It is therefore better to improve and complete the Surgical Safety Checklist on the basis of existing evidence and results so as to enhance operating room personnel's performance.