Safe pediatric surgery: development and validation of preoperative interventions checklist

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Preoperative care is critical for pediatric surgical patient safety.
• A standardized tool is needed to ensure consistent application of safety measures.
• Existing protocols may not comprehensively cover the pediatric preoperative trajectory.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a checklist for preoperative pediatric interventions.
• To create an instrument that enhances the safety of pediatric surgical patients.
• To establish a consensus-based tool for safe preoperative care.

Main Methods:

• Methodological study involving instrument construction and validation.
• Utilized the Delphi technique for expert consensus.
• Achieved an 80% consensus level for checklist validation.

Main Results:

• A checklist titled "Safe Pediatric Surgery Checklist" was developed.
• Validation involved five specialist professionals.
• Consensus on content and construct was reached after two Delphi rounds.

Conclusions:

• The checklist effectively simulates the preoperative trajectory of pediatric patients.
• It serves as a valuable instrument for preparing and promoting safe surgery.
• The tool identifies essential measures for ensuring patient safety in pediatric surgery.