← Articles

Hawker et al: Attitudes towards surgical safety checklists among American College of Veterinary Surgeons diplomates
Veterinary Surgery 5, 2024

🔍 Key Findings

  • 67.9% of respondents reported using SSCs, with most indicating frequent use (64% used in every surgery).
  • 78.7% agreed SSCs reduce complications, and 89.6% believed SSCs improve communication.
  • Respondents not using SSCs were more likely to view them as a waste of time (p < .001).
  • Forgetfulness (39.6%) and time constraints (36.5%) were leading reasons for checklist noncompletion.
  • Only 23.3% had SSC training during surgical residency, with newer diplomates more likely to have had exposure (p < .001).
  • Key strategies to improve uptake included: staff feedback modifications (67.9%), formal designation of initiator (48.6%), and training (52.2%).
  • Surgeons and OR staff were most commonly identified as noncompliant team members.
  • SSC use was more frequent in small animal practices, and mandating SSCs by management was favored but not always effective alone.

Simini Surgery Review Podcast

How critical is this paper for crushing the Boards?

🚨 Must-know. I’d bet on seeing this.

📚 Useful background, not must-know.

💤 Skip it. Doubt it’ll ever show up.

Thanks for the feedback!
‍We'll keep fine-tuning the articles vault.
Oops — didn’t go through.
‍Mind trying that again?
← Articles

Hawker et al: Attitudes towards surgical safety checklists among American College of Veterinary Surgeons diplomates
Veterinary Surgery 5, 2024

🔍 Key Findings

  • 67.9% of respondents reported using SSCs, with most indicating frequent use (64% used in every surgery).
  • 78.7% agreed SSCs reduce complications, and 89.6% believed SSCs improve communication.
  • Respondents not using SSCs were more likely to view them as a waste of time (p < .001).
  • Forgetfulness (39.6%) and time constraints (36.5%) were leading reasons for checklist noncompletion.
  • Only 23.3% had SSC training during surgical residency, with newer diplomates more likely to have had exposure (p < .001).
  • Key strategies to improve uptake included: staff feedback modifications (67.9%), formal designation of initiator (48.6%), and training (52.2%).
  • Surgeons and OR staff were most commonly identified as noncompliant team members.
  • SSC use was more frequent in small animal practices, and mandating SSCs by management was favored but not always effective alone.

Simini Surgery Review Podcast

Join Now to Access Key Summaries to more Veterinary Surgery Articles!
Log InSign Up

Multiple Choice Questions on this study

In Hawker 2024 et al., on checklist attitudes, which implementation strategy was most commonly associated with SSC success?

A. Mandating use by hospital
B. Posting in OR
C. Monitoring completion rates
D. Formal training
E. Modification based on staff feedback

Answer: Modification based on staff feedback

Explanation: Ongoing SSC modification was reported by 67.9% as a key strategy to improve uptake.
In Hawker 2024 et al., on checklist attitudes, which group was most often reported as noncompliant with SSC use?

A. Clients
B. Residents
C. Surgeons
D. Anesthesia technicians
E. Reception staff

Answer: Surgeons

Explanation: Surgeons were most commonly identified as noncompliant users.
In Hawker 2024 et al., on checklist attitudes, what was a leading barrier cited for noncompletion of SSCs?

A. Insufficient surgical staff
B. High patient volume
C. Hierarchical resistance
D. Forgetfulness
E. Time of day

Answer: Forgetfulness

Explanation: Forgetfulness (39.6%) was the most frequently cited reason for SSC noncompletion.
In Hawker 2024 et al., on checklist attitudes, what was true regarding SSC exposure during training?

A. Less than 25% had exposure during training
B. Most were exposed in vet school
C. SSC exposure was universal
D. New diplomates had lower exposure
E. Equine-focused surgeons had the highest exposure

Answer: Less than 25% had exposure during training

Explanation: Only 23.3% of respondents reported exposure to SSCs during their formal training.
In Hawker 2024 et al., on checklist attitudes, what proportion of ACVS diplomates reported using a surgical safety checklist (SSC)?

A. 45.5%
B. 56.2%
C. 67.9%
D. 78.1%
E. 84.3%

Answer: 67.9%

Explanation: Survey data indicated 67.9% of respondents used an SSC at their practice.

Elevate Your Infection Control Protocol

Implement Simini Protect Lavage for superior, clinically-proven post-operative skin antisepsis and reduced infection risk.

Start Your Free Trial TodayStart Your Free Trial

Review More Key Summaries from this Veterinary Surgery Journal Issue

Monnet

 et al: 

Influence of conventional versus unidirectional barbed suture on leakage pressures in canine vesicourethral anastomosis: An ex-vivo study

Duffy

 et al: 

Influence of barbed suture oversew of the transverse staple line during functional end-to-end stapled anastomosis in a canine jejunal enterectomy model

Miller

 et al: 

Cooled feline intestine and fresh intestine did not differ in enterotomy leak pressure testing or in gross wall thickness measurement

Lhuillery

 et al: 

Outcomes of dogs undergoing surgery for gastric dilatation volvulus after rapid versus prolonged medical stabilization

Cortina

 et al: 

Outcomes and complications of a modified tibial tuberosity transposition technique in the treatment of medial patellar luxation in dogs