How do you anticipate the checklist evolving over the next 10
years?
One major piece revolves around staff training and recognizing that
each individual plays an essential role on high-level surgical teams,
which function most efficiently and effectively when all members
share their knowledge and expectations of what should happen dur-
ing surgery. Roles in the OR need to be clearly defined and the check-
list provides a mechanism for guiding that process.
How should the checklist foster communication in the OR?
It's a tool that gets surgical teams talking before procedures and
focused on safe patient care. I've seen teams set the tone for con-
structive communication, especially those who work together fre-
quently and don't feel it's necessary to constantly introduce them-
selves before each case, by sharing nice things that happened to them
over the weekend or by recognizing a team member's birthday.
What is the checklist's essential element?
The blurb we included at the bottom: Additions and modifications to
fit local practices are encouraged. We recognize the checklist can be
difficult to complete and some steps need to be rearranged, depend-
ing on how surgical teams and anesthesia providers work in individ-
ual facilities. The checklist is at its best when it's constantly reevaluat-
ed and reworked as surgery and surgical safety continue to evolve.
OSM
Dr. Weiser (tweiser@stanford.edu) is a general and trauma surgeon at
Stanford University Medical Center and a board member of Lifebox, an
organization devoted to promoting safer surgery and anesthesia in the U.S.
and low-resource countries.
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