9 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U N E 2 0 1 8
C
hecklists can be great tools, but how do you bring a
laminated piece of paper that hangs on the wall to life
so that it's a critical part of every case? We asked the
team at Saint Peter's University Hospital in New
Brunswick, N.J., for the keys to their success .
First things first. Don't reinvent the wheel. Visit the World Health
Organization (osmag.net/fQMc9R) or AORN (osmag.net/Mnn6QQ),
where you'll find tools to help your facility frame out a checklist. A
boilerplate checklist is a good place to start, but you'll want to
customize it by adding and subtracting elements to fit your needs,
says Beverly Johnson, MSN, RN, CNOR, the perioperative instructor
at Saint Peter's.
The Soul of a Surgical Safety Checklist
What started as steps on a static piece of paper is now a
digital tool that enhances patient safety.
JoEllen McBride, PhD | Associate Editor
• IN VIEW Posting your checklist in the
areas where it's used increases compliance.
Michael
Castronova,
Saint
Peter's
University
Hospital