Understanding WHO surgical checklist implementation: tricks and pitfalls. An observational study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to assess the reliability of implementation data regarding the surgical safety checklist (SSC) and to identify which factors influence actual implementation. METHODS: The study was a retrospective record-based evaluation in a regional network of nine Spanish hospitals, combined with a complementary direct-observation study that included a survey of the surgical teams' attitudes. SSC compliance and associated factors were assessed and compared in a retrospective sample of 280 operations and a concurrent sample of another 85 surgical interventions. RESULTS: In the retrospective evaluation the SSC was present in 83.1 % of cases, fully completed in 28.4 %, with 69.3 % of all possible items checked. The concurrent direct-observation study showed that recorded compliance was unreliable (κ < 0.13 for all items) and significantly higher (p < 0.001) than actual compliance. Over-registration occurred across hospitals and surgical specialties. Factors associated with recorded compliance included hospital size, surgical specialty, and the use of an electronic format. In actual (direct-observation) compliance, a positive attitude on the part of the surgeon is an overriding significant factor (OR 12.8), along with using the electronic format, which is consistently and positively associated with recorded compliance but negatively related to actual compliance. CONCLUSIONS: Recorded SSC compliance may be widely unreliable and higher than actual compliance, particularly when recording is facilitated by using an electronic format. A positive attitude on the part of the surgical team, particularly surgeons, is associated with actual compliance. Effective use of the SSC is a far more complex adaptive process than the usual mandatory strategy.

[Difficulties in implementing a surgical check list in operating theatres]. / Dificultades en la implantación del check list en los quirófanos de cirugía.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of implementation and the factors associated with the compliance to the surgical check list (SCL) proposed by the WHO, in surgery departments in public hospitals in the Murcia Region of Spain. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using a random, non-proportional, and stratified sample in each hospital. The sample size was established as 10 cases per centre, with a total of 90 surgical operations. The data analysis included the percentage of compliance of the variables of interest (presence of an SCL and the compliance to it, complete, by sections and by items) at regional level, according to hospital, hospital groups, depending on the size; the type of anaesthesia (local, regional or general); the work shift (morning or afternoon); as well as the age and sex of the surgery patients. RESULTS: The check list was found in the medical records in 75 cases (83.33%; confidence interval [CI]: 78.7% - 87.5%), and complied with in full in 25 cases (27.8%; 95% CI: 18.5% - 37.0%). The percentage of items complied with was 70.1% (95% CI: 67.9%-72.2%). The percentage compliance varied by hospital, from 35.8% to 98.9%. The logistic regression analysis showed significance in the variables such as, the size of the hospital (the list was more likely to be complied with in small and medium hospitals) and operations with local anaesthetic as a negative predictive factor of compliance. CONCLUSIONS: The SCL is used, but is not always complied with, and not homogeneously in all its sections. There is also significant variation between the public hospitals in the Murcia Region of Spain.

[Study of prevalence of protection against measles in health workers of Murcia Health Service]. / Estudio de prevalencia de protección frente a sarampión en trabajadores sanitarios del Servicio Murciano de Salud.

OBJECTIVE: In the month of April 2017, two cases of measles were reported in one of the basic health zones (ZBS) of the Region of Murcia. The Occupational Risk Prevention Services of the Murcian Health Service (SMS) were urged to review the immunological status of health workers, born as of 1971, from Primary Care Centers, referral hospitals and emergency services that cover the affected area with the general objective of preventing the appearance of a possible outbreak of measles in this personnel, checking the protection of these workers against this disease (the vaccine status and / or the serological status (IgG)) and offering the vaccine to non-immune workers. METHODS: A descriptive study of the prevalence of protection against measles of this group of workers during the period from January to February 2017 was carried out. Initially, the stories of the workers for whom data were available were reviewed, and cited for the provision of vaccine data (90) or extraction of serology to those for whom data were not available (138). RESULTS: 408 medical records / workers were reviewed. At the end of the study, we did have data about the vaccination of 22.1% of the workers and serology of the 33.8%. 91.5% of the workers for whom we had data were protected against measles. CONCLUSIONS: We can conclude that the coverage among our workers is lower than that proposed by the Measles and Rubella Elimination Plan, so a program to promote vaccination against this disease among health personnel would be advisable.

OBJETIVO: En el mes de abril de 2017 se notificaron dos casos de sarampión en una de las zonas básicas de salud (ZBS) de la Región de Murcia. Los Servicios de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales del Servicio Murciano de Salud (SMS) fueron instados a revisar el estado inmunológico de los trabajadores sanitarios nacidos a partir de 1971, de los centros de atención primaria, hospitales de referencia y servicios de urgencias que dan cobertura a la zona afectada con el objetivo general de prevenir la aparición de un posible brote de sarampión en este personal, comprobando la protección de estos trabajadores frente a esta enfermedad (el estado vacunal y/o el estado serológico (IgG)) y ofreciendo la vacuna a aquellos trabajadores no inmunes. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir la prevalencia de la protección frente a sarampión de los trabajadores sanitarios de la zona afectada. METODOS: Durante el periodo de enero a febrero de 2017, se revisaron las historias de los trabajadores, de los que disponíamos de datos, y posteriormente se citaron a los trabajadores de los que no teníamos información para que aportaran la cartilla de vacunación (90 trabajadores) o para realizarles una serología a los que carecían de ella (138 trabajadores). RESULTADOS: Tras la revisión de 408 historias clínicas se obtuvieron datos acerca de la vacunación del 22,1% de los trabajadores y de serologías del 33,8%. El 91,5% de estos trabajadores estaba protegido frente al sarampión. CONCLUSIONES: La cobertura entre nuestros trabajadores es menor a la propuesta por el "Plan de Eliminación del Sarampión y la Rubéola", por lo que recomendamos entre el personal sanitario, un programa de fomento de la vacunación frente a dicha enfermedad.