Ward safety checklist in the acute surgical unit. Issue 10 (16th December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Blucher, Kristopher M.; Dal Pra, Samuel E.; Hogan, James; Wysocki, Arkadiusz Peter
• Is Part Of: ANZ journal of surgery. Volume 84:Issue 10(2014)
• Page Start: 745
• Page End: 747
• Publication Date: 2013-12-16
• Subjects: Surgery -- Periodicals; 617.005
• DOI: 10.1111/ans.12496
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1445-1433

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="ans12496-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Deficiencies in daily ward rounds are increasingly identified. A ward safety checklist has recently been devised to improve the fast‐paced surgical ward round.</p> </sec> <sec id="ans12496-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Over 2 weeks the morning post‐take surgical ward round was evaluated using the ward safety checklist. In order to avoid the Hawthorne effect, doctors involved were not aware their performance was being observed.</p> </sec> <sec id="ans12496-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>One hundred patient encounters were evaluated. The three phases of the card safety checklist showed statistically significant improvement but for many components compliance was below 100%.</p> </sec> <sec id="ans12496-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>Implementing this simple checklist has provided our unit with a starting point in how to overcome some of the deficiencies of the post‐take surgical ward round.</p> </sec> </abstract>