Compliance With and Barriers to Implementing the Surgical Safety Checklist: A Mixed-Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Patient Safety
• Surgical Care

Background:

• The World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) is a critical tool for improving patient safety in surgical procedures.
• Understanding healthcare professionals' perspectives is crucial for effective implementation and adherence to safety protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Turkish nurses' perceptions and experiences with the World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC).
• To identify barriers affecting the consistent application and compliance with the SSC in perioperative and surgical settings.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving a survey of 126 nurses (Phase 1) and interviews with 20 RN circulators (Phase 2).
• Qualitative data from interviews were analyzed to identify key themes related to SSC use.

Main Results:

• Nurses recognize the importance of the SSC but reported that not all steps are consistently applied.
• Increased workload and insufficient team cooperation were identified as significant barriers to SSC implementation.
• Key themes identified include the perceived importance of the SSC, obstacles to its use, and factors influencing compliance and applicability.

Conclusions:

• While the SSC is valued, its full potential is limited by practical challenges in the perioperative environment.
• Addressing workload issues and fostering better team cooperation are essential for enhancing SSC compliance and improving surgical safety.