Surgical safety checklists in UK veterinary practice: Current implementation and attitudes towards their use

Abstract

Background: Surgical safety checklist (SSC) use benefits veterinary patients, but endorsement and implementation are essential for these benefits to be observed. Methods: A cross-sectional survey assessed UK veterinary professionals' attitudes towards and usage of SSCs and identified factors associated with poorer attitude or failure to use SSCs. Results: Of 513 respondents, 70% used SSCs. Of these, 87.1% used SSCs for every surgical procedure, 19.1% adapted SSCs for different procedures and 61.1% had a standard operating procedure detailing how to use SSCs. Attitudes towards SSC use were favourable, with increased positive attitude associated with employing at least one registered veterinary nurse with a post-qualifying qualification (p < 0.001), current SSC use (p < 0.001), undertaking self-directed reading (p = 0.033) or completing SSC-relevant post-qualification continuing professional development (p = 0.005). Factors associated with veterinary practices not using SSCs included Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) non-membership (odds ratio [OR] 2.0, 1.1-3.4), no RCVS hospital status (OR 1.9, 1.1-3.5) or being a mixed first-opinion veterinary practice (OR 2.4, 1.2-5.0). Limitations: Study limitations include sampling methodology and nonvalidated attitudinal scale usage. Conclusion: Most respondents used SSCs. Familiarity, education and the RCVS PSS were associated with improved uptake and attitudes, but mixed practice was associated with reduced usage.

Implementing surgical safety checklists in veterinary medicine: where do we currently stand?

“…Interestingly, checklist use did not appear to differ significantly between referral hospitals/ university teaching hospitals and first-opinion practices. 18 These findings compare favourably to reports from the United States, with a recent survey of 1334 US veterinarians revealing that only 18 per cent used checklists for all surgical procedures, and 59 per cent never used checklists. Surgical diplomates and veterinarians working in university or multidisciplinary referral hospitals were more likely to use checklists, but it was clear that their use was not universal.…”

“…Practices that were part of the RCVS practice standards scheme, had RCVS‐recognised hospital status or treated small animals only were more likely to use a surgical safety checklist. Interestingly, checklist use did not appear to differ significantly between referral hospitals/university teaching hospitals and first‐opinion practices 18 …”

“…Furthermore, Hill and colleagues' findings also suggest that efforts by governing bodies, such as the RCVS, to encourage the use of surgical checklists appear to have been effective, as does increasing education and training on patient safety. 18 Put together, these findings can be considered great news for veterinary patients, their owners and the veterinary profession as a whole.…”

“…Hill and colleagues' study, published in a recent issue of Vet Record, 18 is an important step toward achieving this aim, as it sheds light on the current Surgical safety checklists can be a powerful tool to assist veterinary staff in acting more effectively and safely. However, checklists must be implemented well and used consistently if they are to have these beneficial effects RESEARCH COMMENT use of surgical safety checklists in UK veterinary practice and provides a benchmark against which comparisons can be made.…”

“…Hill and colleagues' study, published in a recent issue of Vet Record , 18 is an important step toward achieving this aim, as it sheds light on the current use of surgical safety checklists in UK veterinary practice and provides a benchmark against which comparisons can be made. Of the 513 veterinary professionals surveyed in the study, 70 per cent reported regularly using surgical safety checklists, most of which used them for every procedure.…”