Obstacles to using the safe surgery checklist: Perspectives of first-line personnel

The safe surgery checklist, presented by the World Health Organization in 2008, is an aid to performing surgical interventions safely. Research indicates that the use of checklists in clinical activities leads to a reduced number of adverse events. However, research suggests that the use of checklists differs between different institutions and even between units in the same organisation. The intention of this study is to identify factors regarded by the health personnel in 'the sharp end' as obstacles to using the checklist.

The study has a qualitative, case-based design. It is performed by the Hazard Identification method, which is a method for revealing safety hazards based on workers' experiences.

Obstacles were identified related to the content of the list, areas of use, distribution of responsibilities connected with the use of the list, and finally the organisation and management of safety efforts related to clinical activities. The use of checklists must be part of a system's perspective, and deviations from checklists must be discussed in the organisation. The informants also claimed that checklists should be implemented for interventions located outside the operating theatres and for emergency treatments.

Even though the majority of employees believe that checklists are necessary, many surrounding factors are perceived as obstacles to their use. Not least, site-specific factors may be revealed by use of the Hazard Identification method.