Surgical counting: design of implementation and maintenance of a standardized evidence-based procedure

OBJECTIVES: to report the implementation and maintenance of an evidence-based Standard Operating Procedure for surgical counting performed at a teaching hospital. METHODS: a report of a project to implement evidence for surgical counting, carried out at a university hospital in December 2017, and the subsequent cycles for better performance of the implemented organizational document and maintenance of better results until March 2022. RESULTS: the report is divided into implementation project presentation and four other cycles after implementation, related to maintenance of improvements. It was possible to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure for Surgical Count, train the nursing team, carry out educational intervention for surgical teams. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: there was an improvement in complying with the standardized procedure at the first moment and worsening in the period related to the pandemic. New efforts began again, including a self-instructive online course combined with first-time strategies.