Use of a Surgical Safety Checklist to Improve Team Communication. (26th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cabral, Richard A.; Eggenberger, Terry; Keller, Kathryn; Gallison, Barry S.; Newman, David
• Is Part Of: AORN journal. Volume 104:Number 3(2016.Sep.)
• Page Start: 206
• Page End: 216
• Publication Date: 2016-08-26
• Subjects: communication -- teamwork -- safety -- WHO Surgical Safety Checklist; Operating room nursing -- Periodicals; Soins infirmiers en salle d'opération -- Périodiques; Nursing -- Periodicals; Operating Room Nursing -- Periodicals; Perioperative Nursing -- Periodicals; Societies, Nursing -- Periodicals; 617.917
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aorn.2016.06.019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-2092

Abstract

Abstract: To improve surgical team communication, a team at Broward Health Imperial Point Hospital, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, implemented a program for process improvement using a locally adapted World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist. This program included a standardized, comprehensive time out and a briefing/debriefing process. Postimplementation responses to the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire revealed a significant increase in the surgical team's perception of communication compared with that reported on the pretest (6% improvement resulting in t 79 = –1.72, P < .05, d = 0.39). Perceptions of communication increased significantly for nurses (12% increase, P = .002), although the increase for surgeons and surgical technologists was lower (4% for surgeons, P = .15 and 2.3% for surgical technologists, P = .06). As a result of this program, we have observed improved surgical teamwork behaviors and an enhanced culture of safety in the OR.