Jump to comment:

• SSCL adherence
  Richard N. Merchant
  Published on: 17 January 2022

• Published on: 17 January 2022

  SSCL adherence

  • Richard N. Merchant, anesthesiologist Royal Columbian Hospital, New Westminster BC Canada

  The authors have provided an admirable example of how the SSCL utilization can be improved via a dedicated and sustained effort. In some ways I wish they had been able to provide a pathway that didn't involve so many steps, as I think their observation that 'administrative' vs 'real' view of success of SSCL process is probably greatly wrong - it was in our hospital too.
  In our hospital the OR record is where the SSCL process is recorded and quite often the "briefing", "time-out" and "debriefing" components were "ticked" at a random time, often before they might actually have taken place. A four page form with a couple of hundred entries does not lend itself to accuracy!
  I was disappointed in their reported revision of the actual checklist. I thought it was still overlong, and I didn't feel it adequately reflected the most important point about the SSCL process, which is to develop a team from what is an often changing group of individuals, and thusly to engage all of the OR staff in the process.
  They state "the number of items on the form decreased from 21 to 19". I count 26 separate questions requiring responses. Gawande in The Checklist Manifesto" suggests that 5 or 7 is the optimal number of questions - less being better. This form has more and I do question whether they are all "necessary" in contributing to teamwork and safety.
  As a couple of...

  Show More

  The authors have provided an admirable example of how the SSCL utilization can be improved via a dedicated and sustained effort. In some ways I wish they had been able to provide a pathway that didn't involve so many steps, as I think their observation that 'administrative' vs 'real' view of success of SSCL process is probably greatly wrong - it was in our hospital too.
  In our hospital the OR record is where the SSCL process is recorded and quite often the "briefing", "time-out" and "debriefing" components were "ticked" at a random time, often before they might actually have taken place. A four page form with a couple of hundred entries does not lend itself to accuracy!
  I was disappointed in their reported revision of the actual checklist. I thought it was still overlong, and I didn't feel it adequately reflected the most important point about the SSCL process, which is to develop a team from what is an often changing group of individuals, and thusly to engage all of the OR staff in the process.
  They state "the number of items on the form decreased from 21 to 19". I count 26 separate questions requiring responses. Gawande in The Checklist Manifesto" suggests that 5 or 7 is the optimal number of questions - less being better. This form has more and I do question whether they are all "necessary" in contributing to teamwork and safety.
  As a couple of specfic examples, my medical radiographer here in Canada didn't understand the terminology "has image intensifier been contacted?" The image intensifier is a component of the portable xray machine and not a person (cf. "teamwork") and we don't think will respond to a question. "Essential imaging available" I guess refers to the pre-operative radiology results - this is obviously something that should be determined prior to induction of the patient if they are "essential"...
  I think this is a good start to the discussion of a real problem but will optimally be able to look at a more robust solution for institutions generally.

  Show Less

  Conflict of Interest:
  None declared.

  • Back to top