Surgical team perceptions of the surgical safety checklist in a tertiary hospital in Jordan: a descriptive qualitative study
ISSN: 1754-2731
Article publication date: 31 May 2022
Issue publication date: 12 July 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of operating room staff towards the use of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist in a tertiary hospital in Jordan.
Design/methodology/approach
This was a qualitative descriptive study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 21 healthcare staff employed in the operating room (nurses, residents, surgeons and anaesthesiologists). The interviews were conducted in the period from October to December 2021. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.
Findings
Three main themes emerged from data analysis namely compliance with the surgical safety checklist, the impact of surgical safety checklist, and barriers and facilitators to the use of the surgical safety checklist. The use of the checklist was seen as enabling staff to communicate effectively and thus to accomplish patient safety and positive outcomes. The perceived barriers to compliance included excessive workload, congestion and lack of training and awareness. Enhanced training and education were thought to improve the utilization of the surgical safety checklist, and help enhance awareness about its importance.
Originality/value
While steps to utilize the surgical safety checklist by the operation room personnel may seem simple, the quality of its administration is not necessarily robust. There are several challenges for consistent, complete and effective administration of the surgical safety checklist by the surgical team members. Healthcare managers must employ interventions to eliminate barriers to and offer facilitators of adherence to the application of the surgical safety checklist, therefore promoting quality healthcare and patient safety.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express thanks to all participants for their invaluable time and information.
Funding: The research was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research in the University of Jordan.
Conflict of interest: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.
Citation
Albsoul, R., Alshyyab, M.A., Al Odat, B.A., Al Dwekat, N.B., Al-masri, B.E., Alkubaisi, F.A., Flefil, S.A., Al-Khawaldeh, M.H., Sa'ed, R.A., Abu Ajamieh, M.W. and Fitzgerald, G. (2023), "Surgical team perceptions of the surgical safety checklist in a tertiary hospital in Jordan: a descriptive qualitative study", The TQM Journal, Vol. 35 No. 6, pp. 1394-1416. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-02-2022-0069
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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