Search

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a substantial healthcare burden in low- and middle- income countries. "Clean Cut" is a checklist-based infection prevention and control (IPC) program intended to improve compliance to peri-operative IPC standards. We aim to study the short-term and long-term impact of its implementation in a tertiary care cancer referral center. Methods: This was a single institute, prospective interventional study. Patients undergoing elective head-neck surgical procedures were included. The "Clean Cut" program consisting of surveillance, audits, and IPC training was implemented for 6 months, after which there was no active oversight. Post-intervention (T2) and 1-year follow-up (T3) data regarding compliance to core IPC practices and SSI rates were compared with baseline (T1). Results: One hundred eighty six patients were included with 50 (26.9%), 86 (46.2%), and 50 (26.9%) patients at T1, T2, and T3, respectively. At baseline, teams complied with a mean of 3.56 of the six critical components of infection control processes which rose to 4.66 (p < 0.001) at T2, but decreased to 4.02 at T3 (p = 0.053). The SSI rate at baseline decreased significantly after Clean Cut implementation [16 (32%) vs. 12 (13.95%), p = 0.012], but returned to baseline levels after 1 year [17 (34%), p = 0.006]. Conclusion: Implementation of the "Clean Cut" program increases compliance to infection control processes and reduces SSI rates in the short term. Without continuing oversight, these rates return to baseline values after 1 year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To preserve the bladder without compromising survival, further treatments need to be optimized to prevent the recurrence and progression of non‐muscle invasive bladder cancer. In clinical practice, transurethral resection of bladder tumors is essential for bladder cancer management. The primary goal of surgery is to achieve accurate pathological evaluation and complete resection of bladder cancer; high resection quality is required for the procedure. A representative surrogate indicator of the resection quality is the presence of the detrusor muscle in the resection specimen. Therefore, complete visual resection of bladder cancer with a muscle layer is crucial for decreasing the recurrence and progression rates of non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer. However, this procedure is complex and requires sufficient experience and knowledge to be performed thoroughly, safely, and efficiently. Surgical checklists represent an approach to filling the knowledge and experience gaps and improving the quality and safety of surgery. By checking items during transurethral resection, it is expected that the recording of risk factors related to recurrence and progression will improve, the rate of visually complete resection with muscles will increase, and the rate of intravesical recurrence will decrease. The simplicity of checklists is an additional benefit. In recent years, surgical checklists have received increasing attention in order to achieve high‐quality resections and reduce disparities between surgeons and institutions. This literature review outlines the evolving treatment strategies for patients with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer, focusing on surgical checklists for the transurethral resection of bladder tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective. The use of checklists for quality and safety control of medical care is an effective tool for reducing the frequency of errors, dangers and complications in any section of medical practice.The aim is to demonstrate the possibilities of minimizing and leveling the potential risks accompanying surgical intervention using the example of routine application of the surgical safety checklist.Object and methods. Patient A., 55 years old, was admitted to the emergency department of Samara City Clinical Hospital №1 named after N.I. Pirogov on 24.04.2023. with complaints of pain in the right upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting, general weakness. The diagnosis was Cholelithiasis, acute calculous cholecystitis with the formation of a perivesical abscess. It required laparoscopic cholecystectomy operation. While filling in the surgical safety checklist (SSC) and analyzing possible intraoperative incidents, the attending physician executed an informed voluntary consent for transfusion of donor blood components. The corresponding components were ordered. Having weighted up the potential intraoperative risks specified in the part "Before anesthesia" of SSC, the anesthesiologist installed a catheter into one of the central veins and performed the urine bladder catheterization. Surgical intervention was complicated by bleeding, which required conversion of surgical approach. Upper median laparotomy, cholecystectomy, surgical hemostasis were performed. Total blood loss was 1000 ml, plasma and red blood cell were donated to the patient. The operation was completed by drainage of the subhepatic space and suturing of surgical wounds.Results. The clinical case describes the importance of a team approach at the stage before the operation, as well as the role of all specialists provided life support and medical care for the patient. It results from attentive work with the checklist which shows a clear liability for each member of the operating team at different stages of preparation and treatment of a surgical patient.Conclusions. The development of a culture of surgical safety is an important way to minimize the risks associated with surgical intervention for each individual patient and for the institution by optimizing the work of operating units.

Background: The team timeout (TTO) is a safety checklist to be performed by the surgical team prior to incision. Exchange of critical information is, however, important not only before but also during an operation and members of surgical teams frequently feel insufficiently informed by the operating surgeon about the ongoing procedure. To improve the exchange of critical information during surgery, the StOP?-protocol was developed: At appropriate moments during the procedure, the leading surgeon briefly interrupts the operation and informs the team about the current Status (St) and next steps/objectives (O) of the operation, as well as possible Problems (P), and encourages questions of other team members (?). The StOP?-protocol draws attention to the team. Anticipating the occurrence of StOP?-protocols may support awareness of team processes and quality issues from the beginning and thus support other interventions such as the TTO; however, it also may signal an additional demand and contribute to a phenomenon akin to “checklist fatigue.” We investigated if, and how, the introduction of the StOP?-protocol influenced TTO quality. Methods: This was a prospective intervention study employing a pre-post design. In the visceral surgical departments of two university hospitals and one urban hospital the quality of 356 timeouts (out of 371 included operation) was assessed by external observers before (154) and after (202) the introduction of the StOP?- briefing. Timeout quality was rated in terms of timeout completeness (number of checklist items mentioned) and timeout quality (engagement, pace, social atmosphere, noise). Results: As compared to the baseline, after the implementation of the StOP?- protocol, observed timeouts had higher completeness ratings (F = 8.69, p = 0.003) and were rated by observers as higher in engagement (F = 13.48, p < 0.001), less rushed (F = 14.85, p < 0.001), in a better social atmosphere (F = 5.83, p < 0.016) and less noisy (F = 5.35, p < 0.022). Conclusion: Aspects of TTO are affected by the anticipation of StOP?-protocols. However, rather than harming the timeout goals by inducing “checklist fatigue,” it increases completeness and quality of the team timeout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical procedures pose an immense risk to patients, which can lead to various complications and adverse events. In order to safeguard patients' safety, the World Health Organization initiated the implementation of the Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) in operating theatres worldwide. The aim of this integrative review was to summarize and evaluate the use and implementation of SSC, focusing on facilitators and barriers at the individual, professional, and organizational levels. This review followed closely the integrative review method by Whittemore and Knafl. An English literature search was conducted across three electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE) and other hand search references. Keywords search included: 'acute care', 'surgical', 'adult patients', 'pre-operative', 'intra-operative', and 'post-operative'. A total of 816 articles were screened by two reviewers independently and all articles that met the pre-specified inclusion criteria were retained. Data extracted from the articles were categorized, compared, and further analysed. A total of 34 articles were included with the majority being observational studies in developed and European countries. Checklists had been adopted in various surgical specialities. Findings indicated that safety checklists improved team cohesion and communication, resulting in enhanced patient safety. This resulted in high compliance rates as healthcare workers expressed the benefits of SSC to facilitate safety within operating theatres. Barriers included manpower limitations, hierarchical culture, lack of staff involvement and training, staff resistance, and appropriateness of checklist. Common facilitators and barriers at individual, professional, and organizational levels have been identified. Staff training and education, conducive workplace culture, timely audits, and appropriate checklist adaptations are crucial components for a successful implementation of the SSC. Methods have also been introduced to counter barriers of SSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe team timeout (TTO) is a safety checklist to be performed by the surgical team prior to incision. Exchange of critical information is, however, important not only before but also during an operation and members of surgical teams frequently feel insufficiently informed by the operating surgeon about the ongoing procedure. To improve the exchange of critical information during surgery, the StOP?-protocol was developed: At appropriate moments during the procedure, the leading surgeon briefly interrupts the operation and informs the team about the current Status (St) and next steps/objectives (O) of the operation, as well as possible Problems (P), and encourages questions of other team members (?). The StOP?-protocol draws attention to the team. Anticipating the occurrence of StOP?-protocols may support awareness of team processes and quality issues from the beginning and thus support other interventions such as the TTO; however, it also may signal an additional demand and contribute to a phenomenon akin to “checklist fatigue.” We investigated if, and how, the introduction of the StOP?-protocol influenced TTO quality.MethodsThis was a prospective intervention study employing a pre-post design. In the visceral surgical departments of two university hospitals and one urban hospital the quality of 356 timeouts (out of 371 included operation) was assessed by external observers before (154) and after (202) the introduction of the StOP?-briefing. Timeout quality was rated in terms of timeout completeness (number of checklist items mentioned) and timeout quality (engagement, pace, social atmosphere, noise).ResultsAs compared to the baseline, after the implementation of the StOP?-protocol, observed timeouts had higher completeness ratings (F = 8.69, p = 0.003) and were rated by observers as higher in engagement (F = 13.48, p

Background: In 2010, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), our hospital implemented a surgical safety programme centred around a surgical safety checklist.Aim: The aim of this study was to compare indicators of surgical site infection, antimicrobial consumption, antimicrobial resistance, costs and in-hospital mortality before (January 2006 to July 2010) and after (August 2010 to December 2014) implementation of the programme.Methods: A case-control study was carried out matching patients with surgical site infection (SSI) to surgical patients without infection to examine the impact of the intervention.Findings: Use of the surgical checklist was associated with a significant reduction in SSI. When comparing the two time periods, we also identified a reduction in infections due to micro-organisms in the ESKAPE group (from 90.7% to 73.9%, P<0.001), a reduction of SSI in patients with contaminated, infected and potentially contaminated wounds, and for those in whom perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis was discontinued in less than 48 hours. Overall, there was a reduction in antimicrobial resistance, though there was increased resistance to carbapenems for, to glycopeptides for Enterococcus faecium, and to clindamycin for Staphylococcus aureus. We also detected increased antimicrobial consumption of second- and third-generation cephalosporins and clindamycin. We observed a reduction in hospital deaths from 6.4% to 3.2% (P=0.001), but we did not observe any reduction in costs.Conclusions: Implementation of a surgical checklist was an independent predictor of SSI reduction, and was also associated with a decrease in antimicrobial resistance and reduced in-hospital mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicine since its inception has continued to evolve. The past few decades have seen many specialties branching out. This is been to the increasingly complex nature of the field consequent to advances in technology and understanding of the human body. In addition to advancing technology, there is a relatively recent focus on safety. Studies have shown that there are a significant number of errors with serious consequences that occur among surgical patients. Many of these errors are preventable. Several factors play a role which includes nontechnical aspects such as human factors. This is most evident in high-pressure complex situations such as an operating theatre. This prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to take up global patient safety challenges. With the motto of “Safe Surgery saves lives,” the WHO has undertaken numerous regional and global initiatives to improve patient safety and pioneered the implementation of the surgical safety checklist. Patient safety has evolved as an important part of surgical practice. This article presents a brief narrative of the development of patient safety in the surgery, its expansion, and future direction.

Objective: To elucidate the therapeutic benefits of using a surgical checklist during transurethral resection for non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer. Methods: A nine‐item surgical checklist was established in January 2016 to assess disease risk and resection adequacy, and it was prospectively implemented into clinical practice. Patients diagnosed with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer who underwent complete resection from January 2009 to August 2019 were included in this study. The presence of detrusor muscle in the transurethral resection specimen and the intravesical recurrence‐free survival were compared between patients who underwent transurethral resection before and after surgical checklist implementation. Results: A total of 125 patients who underwent transurethral resection after surgical checklist implementation were reviewed and compared with 125 patients who underwent transurethral resection before surgical checklist implementation. The use of the surgical checklist led to an increase in the proportion of transurethral resection specimens containing detrusor muscle (92% vs 69.6%, P < 0.01) and a decrease in the recurrence rate (19.2% vs 49.6%, P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that transurethral resection without a surgical checklist was an independent predictive factor influencing the absence of detrusor muscle in the transurethral resection specimen (odds ratio 4.78, P < 0.01) and intravesical recurrence (hazard ratio 1.92, 95% confidence interval 1.14–3.23; P = 0.01). Kaplan–Meier plots showed that the recurrence‐free survival rate was significantly lower when the surgical checklist was not used (log‐rank test result P < 0.01). Conclusions: This study shows the therapeutic benefits of surgical checklist in improving the quality of resection during transurethral resection and reducing the recurrence rate in patients with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist is used globally to ensure patient safety during surgery. Two years after its implementation in the University Hospital Basel’s operating rooms, adherence to the protocol was evaluated. Methods This mixed method observational study took place in the surgical department of the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland from April to August 2017. Data collection was via individual structured interviews with selected OR team members regarding checklist adherence and on-site non-participant observations of Team Time Out and Team Sign Out sequences in the OR. Data were subjected to thematic analysis and descriptive statistics compiled. Results Comprehensive local expert interviews indicated that individual, procedural and contextual variables influenced the application of the checklist. Facilitating factors included well-informed specialists who advocated the use of the Checklist, as well as teams focused on the checklist’s intended process and on its content. In contrast, factors such as staff insecurity, a generally negative attitude towards the checklist, a lack of teamwork, and hesitance to complete the checklist, hindered its implementation. The checklist’s application was evaluated in 104 on-site observations comprising of 72 Team Time Out (TTO) and 32 Team Sign Out (TSO) sections. Adherence to the protocol ranged between 96 and 100% in TTO and 22% in TSO respectively. Lack of implementation of the TSO was mainly due to the absence of one of the key OR team members, who were busy with other tasks or no longer present in the operating room. Conclusion The study illustrates factors, which foster and hinder consistent application of the WHO surgical safety checklist namely individual, procedural and contextual. It also demonstrates that the TTO was consistently and correctly applied, while the unavailability of key OR team members at sign-out time was the most common reason for omission or incomplete use of the TSO.

Background: Anesthesia equipment problems may contribute to anesthesia mortality and morbidity. The Royal College of Anesthesiologists of Thailand initiated a multicentered incident reporting study namely the Perioperative and Anesthetic Adverse Events in Thailand (PAAd Thai) Study to investigate perioperative complications including equipment malfunction or failure. Materials and Methods: The present report was a descriptive prospective study. After the Institutional Ethical approval with informed consent was waived, the case record form comprising structured and narrative information parts was requested to be filled within 24 hours of occurrence of anesthesia equipment malfunction or failure in 22 large government hospitals across Thailand between January and December 2015. Three senior anesthesiologists reviewed the incident reports. Any discrepancy was discussed to achieve a consensus. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: Out of 2,206 incident reports, there were 47 (2.1%) equipment malfunction or failure involving anesthetic machine (36.0%), anesthetic circuit (27.6%), laryngoscope (17.0%) and monitoring (12.7%) in operating theatre (97.8%), pediatric anesthesia (19.1%), and emergency condition (21.2%). Diagnoses of incidents was either clinical detection (82.9%) or detection by monitoring equipment (48.9%). Outcomes of incidents were trivial with full recovery. The incidents were considered as results from human factor (38.3%), preventable (46.8%), and might be prevented with surgical safety checklists (34.0%). Conclusion: Equipment malfunction or failure incidents were unusual and did not lead to serious consequence. Common contributing factors were ineffective equipment, non-adherence to surgical checklists, haste, and inexperience of performers. Factors to minimize the incidents were equipment checking, having experience, and comply to surgical checklists. Quality assurance activity, standard and regular equipment maintenance, adherence to surgical checklists, and additional training were suggested as corrective measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A significant reduction in surgical site infection (SSI) rates in cesarean deliveries was seen following implementation of an infection prevention bundle. • The most significant impact was seen on superficial SSIs, which were also the most common SSI type. • The rate reduction was sustained over time. • Care bundles that have been shown to impact SSI rates in colorectal surgery may also impact outcomes in cesarean deliveries. This study investigated cesarean delivery surgical site infection (SSI) rates before and after implementation of a SSI care bundle. A SSI bundle for cesareans was introduced in our hospital in April 2014 to reduce the SSI rate. The practices were divided into bundle elements that reflected preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate implementation of the SSI care bundle. Women were included if they had a gestational age of at least 23 0/7 weeks and delivered a liveborn neonate(s) between 2012 and 2015. They were then divided into 2 study groups: pre-bundle and post-bundle. The primary study outcome was SSI rate. Secondary outcomes included comorbidities, perioperative factors, and SSI classification. The overall incidence of cesarean SSIs during the study time period was 1.89 (76 SSIs in 4014 cesarean deliveries). The pre-bundle mean was 2.44 and decreased to 1.1 following implementation of the SSI bundle (P =.013). This represents a 221% reduction in the SSI rate. Patient demographics and pre-existing medical conditions were similar pre- and post-bundle. Compliance with bundle elements was high. A significant reduction in SSI rate in cesarean deliveries was seen following implementation of an infection prevention bundle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgical checklist was introduced by the World Health Organization to reduce the number of surgical deaths and complications. During a surgical conference on “safety in surgical practice,” it was noticed that the awareness and the use of surgical checklist are poor in Nigerian hospitals. This study was aimed at determining the awareness and use of surgical checklist among the theater users in our hospital, factors militating against its implementation, and make recommendations. Methods: This is a prospective study at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti; questionnaires were distributed to three groups of theater users – surgeons, anesthetists, and perioperative nurses. The responses were collated by the lead researcher, entered into Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, exported, and analyzed with SPSS. Results: Eighty-five questionnaires were distributed, 70 were returned, and 4 were discarded due to poor filling. The studied 66 comprised 40, 12, and 14 surgeons, anesthetists, and perioperative nurses, respectively. Fifty-five (83.3%) of the responders indicated awareness of the checklist but only 12 (21.8%) correctly stated that the main objective is for patients' safety and for safe surgery. Major barriers to its use include lack of training 58.2%, lack of assertiveness of staff 58.2%, and that its delays operation list 47.2%. Conclusion: The study demonstrated high level of awareness of surgical checklist in our hospital; however, this awareness is based on wrong premises as it is not reflected in the true aim of the checklist. Majority of the responders would want to be trained on the use of checklist despite the highlighted barriers.

Objective: To examine if attending surgeon presence at the preinduction briefing is associated with a shorter time to incision.Study Design: Retrospective cohort study and survey.Setting: Tertiary academic medical center.Subjects and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of 22,857 operations by 141 attending surgeons across 12 specialties between August 3, 2016, and June 21, 2018. The independent variable was attending surgeon presence at the preinduction briefing. Linear regression models compared time from room entry to incision overall, by service line, and by surgeon. We hypothesized a shorter time to incision when the attending surgeon was present and a larger effect for cases with complex surgical equipment or positioning. A survey was administered to evaluate attending surgeons' perceptions of the briefing, with a response rate of 68% (64 of 94 attending surgeons).Results: Cases for which the attending surgeon was present at the preinduction briefing had a statistically significant yet operationally minor reduction in mean time to incision when compared with cases when the attending surgeon was absent. After covariate adjustment, the mean time to incision was associated with an efficiency gain of 1.8 ± 0.5 minutes (mean ± SD; P < .001). There were no statistically significant differences in the subgroups of complex surgical equipment and complex positioning or in secondary analysis comparing service lines. The surgeon was the strongest confounding variable. Survey results demonstrated mild support: 55% of attending surgeons highly prioritized attending the preinduction briefing.Conclusion: Attending surgeon presence at the preinduction briefing has only a minor effect on efficiency as measured by time to incision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of an eight‐item surgical checklist (SC) on the recurrence‐free survival (RFS) of patients with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT). Patients and Methods: A group of urologists at two tertiary referral centres, with expertise in bladder cancer, identified eight critical items that should be performed in every high‐quality TURBT. An eight‐item SC was prospectively implemented into clinical practice and the operative reports of TURBTs performed before and after implementation were reviewed. Results from both institutions were combined to estimate the impact of introducing the SC on oncological outcomes. Multivariable logistic and Cox hazards regression analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of the SC on the presence of detrusor muscle in the TURBT specimen and on RFS, respectively. Results: The operative reports of 266 TURBTs performed after the SC implementation were reviewed and compared to those of 281 TURBTs performed prior to the SC introduction. The SC was independently associated with a significant improvement in RFS (P = 0.02). However, the introduction of the SC was not significantly associated with the presence of detrusor muscle in the surgical specimen (P = 0.4). Conclusion: The use of an eight‐item SC during TURBT in clinical practice increases the quality of operative reports thereby potentially improving individualised risk‐stratification and care resulting in lower disease recurrence rates. Therefore, the introduction of a SC can be recommended to enhance oncological outcomes by improving surgical standardisation and operative reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its initial introduction in the 1930s, checklists have proven their worth in aviation and have been increasingly promoted in medicine as a cognitive aid that can improve patient outcomes. This article reviews the different types of checklists, how they aid user performance, the barriers to their adoption, and strategies for increasing user acceptance of checklists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In 2014–2015 the NHS carried out 9.9 million operations. Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) though, continues to be a major challenge, with 300,000 patients a year affected. The human cost is enormous, but so is the financial cost; HAIs are estimated to cost the NHS approximately £1–2 billion a year, with £56 million of this estimated to be incurred after patients are discharged from hospital. Many HAI are preventable, and this article aims to support the surgeon and team in reducing HAI in the surgical pathway, by reviewing the role of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in the development of a HAI, to enable prevention/mitigation strategies to be put in place to ensure the safest possible care pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective To develop and institute a standardized ophthalmology-specific operating room checklist, and to test adherence to the surgical checklist components after implementation. Design An ophthalmology-specific operative room checklist was developed using recommendations from surgical preoperative checklists from other subspecialties and checklists specific to cataract surgery. This standardized checklist was then implemented into the operating rooms. Operative room staff was trained on its use. Adherence to the checklist was measured prospectively. Setting Surgical centers at Kellogg Eye Center in Ann Arbor and Livonia, Michigan. Participants Patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery at the Livonia and Ann Arbor surgical centers. Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s) The primary outcome measures were surgical team adherence to each category of the operative checklist (preop, prebrief, preanesthesia verification, time-out, intraocular lens measurement/confirmation for cataract cases, debrief). Adherence to the subsections of the operative checklist was measured during three periods over the course of 1 year: baseline, postintervention (after introduction of the checklist in all operating rooms), and postadjustment (after additional training was provided to operating room staff and incentives to collect data were provided to personnel responsible for collecting it). Results A total of 2,532 surgical cases were included in the analysis. Baseline adherence ranged from 87 to 90% across preop, prebrief, preanesthesia, and time-out verification sections of the operative checklist. After the institution of the intervention and adjustments, adherence to the surgical checklist improved significantly across all areas of the checklist to 97–98% (p

WHO Surgical Checklist is a tool created for the operating teams in order to provide a surgical safety track of procedures, unified in a worldwide scale. Patient safety is still the biggest challenge of healthcare, despite the introduction of newest technology and medicine overcoming plenty of surgical challenges in modern surgery. Among 8% of all adverse events are surgical adverse events, and nearly half of them could be easily preventable. That is why the aim of our study is to examine the awareness and knowledge level of medical students about surgical safety procedures. For this purpose, the survey on the basic understanding of surgical checklist and patient safety within surgical procedures was distributed during surgical workshops both basic and advanced skills in years 2015-2016 for 115 students. Respondents age, country of origin, year of study, previous attendance to surgical procedures information was also obtained. Our study proved, that the vast majority of medical students interested in surgical fields as their future profession are unaware of surgical safety procedures and its basic terminology (85% of respondents). The highest response of correct answers was noted within sign out procedures - post surgical check-up within the OR (74%). The Surgical Safety Checklist unifies the process of avoiding human error in surgery at all costs. However, despite 15 years of introduction to the surgical field, the medical education methods among undergraduate students are still insufficient. This should be changed in order to save more lives and provide better health care for all, with the most important principle in mind - first, do no harm.

Quality Problem: For smokers, hospital admission is accompanied by forced involuntary nicotine abstinence due to smoke-free site/grounds policies. An audit of patients admitted to our surgical wards revealed that identification of smoking status was inadequate and that nicotine addiction management (NAM) was infrequently offered. The project aimed to enhance both these metrics by initiating NAM in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU).Initial Assessment: Out of 744 patients admitted to our PACU in August 2015, 54% had their smoking status documented. The 200 patients (27%) out of the 744 were smokers and only 50% were offered NAM before discharge.Choice Of Solution: PACU unit staff to determine the smoking status of every patient before discharge from the PACU (later changed to OR nursing staff) and, if a patient was identified as a smoker, to offer NRT (patch and mouth spray only) and initiate therapy prior to transfer of the patient to the ward.Implementation: Data about number of patients admitted, presence of documented smoking status, number of identified smokers, and number offered/accepted nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) were collected at baseline and thereafter quarterly. Engaging video education sessions addressed the education gaps highlighted in a needs assessment. Identification of smoking status was made part of preoperative checklist and NRT was made available in post-operative recovery room.Results: These interventions resulted in an increase in screening for tobacco use from 54% at baseline to 95% and the offer of NRT to smokers from 50 to 89%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The World Health Organization (WHO) created the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist to prevent adverse events in operating rooms. The aim of this study was to analyze WHO checklist implementation in three operating rooms of public hospitals in the Brazilian Federal District. A prospective cross-sectional study was performed with pre- (Period I) and post (Period II)-checklist intervention evaluations. A total of 1141 patients and 1052 patients were studied in Periods I and II for a total of 2193 patients. Period I took place from December 2012 to March 2013, and Period II took place from April 2013 to August 2014. Regarding the pre-operatory items, most surgeries were classified as clean-contaminated in both phases, and team attire improved from 19.2% to 71.0% in Period II. Regarding checklist adherence in Period II, “Patient identification” significantly improved in the stage “Before induction of anesthesia”. “Allergy verification”, “Airway obstruction verification”, and “Risk of blood loss assessment” had low adherence in all three hospitals. The items in the stage “Before surgical incision” showed greater than 90.0% adherence with the exception of “Anticipated critical events: Anesthesia team review” (86.7%) and “Essential imaging display” (80.0%). Low adherence was noted in “Instrument counts” and “Equipment problems” in the stage “Before patient leaves operating room”. Complications and deaths were low in both periods. Despite the variability in checklist item compliance in the surveyed hospitals, WHO checklist implementation as an intervention tool showed good adherence to the majority of the items on the list. Nevertheless, motivation to use the instrument by the surgical team with the intent of improving surgical patient safety continues to be crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to modify the World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist in order to be compatible to a hospital in Iran and measure effect of implementing this checklist on postoperative complications. Methods: In a cross-sectional study the views of surgeons and anesthesiologists of the main teaching hospital in Tabriz -Imam Reza Hospital- were taken by a form attached to the main checklist. The participants in this study asked to write their opinions on each item of checklist based on the environment of the hospital. Then, we performed before-after study to determine effect of a modified checklist implementing on postoperative complications. Results: Surgeons and anesthesiologists had consensus on 15 of 19 items of checklist to remain the same and just 4 items recommended to be changed. In pre intervention period of study, 100 patients (51 males and 49 females) were enrolled with the mean age of 48.5±13.5 years. The number of patients in the post intervention period was the same, but 49 males and 51 females, the mean age was 47.5 ±14.6 years. The incidence of any complications in pre intervention period was 30%, but this rate in post intervention period was 12% and the difference between 2 periods of study was statistically significant (p=0.002). Conclusion: World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist is better to modify based on the local needs and facilities in each hospital. After implementing of a modified surgical safety checklist, complications decreased by 58%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused huge damage to all medical infrastructure and impairs patient safety. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of implementation of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist and Anesthesia Equipment Checklist on patient outcomes and adherence to safety standards in low-resource settings, affected by an ongoing war., Material and Methods: A prospective multicenter study was conducted in 6 large Ukrainian hospitals. The study was conducted in two phases: a control period, lasting five months, followed by a study period, when the two checklists (the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist and Anesthetic Equipment Checklist) were introduced in the designated operating rooms. The primary outcomes were any major complications, including death, during 30 days after surgery., Results: A total of 2237 surgical procedures were recorded - 1178 in the control group and 1059 in the intervention group. Major postoperative complications occurred in 82 (6.9%) patients in the control group and in 25 (2.4%) in the study group (OR = 0.32 [0.19-0.52], P < 0.001). The effect on the incidence of specific postoperative complications was statistically significant for the "surgical infection" (1.5% vs. 0.1%; OR = 0.31 [0.1-0.8], P = 0.01) and "reoperation" (1.7% vs. 0.5%; OR = 0.32 [0.1-0.8], P = 0.01) cate-gories as well as for the 30-day mortality (1.3% vs. 0.3%; OR = 0.35 [0.1-0.9], P = 0.03). Better adherence to basic WHO surgical safety recommendations was observed for every check mentioned in the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist ( P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist and the Anesthesia Equipment Checklist improve patient outcomes in war-affected low-resource settings.