New checklist makes the cardiac catheterisation lab a safer place for patients

Source:  The Health Foundation

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Date of publication:  June 2014

Publication type:  News item

In a nutshell: A Shine-funded project at Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust set out to develop a safety checklist for the cardiac catheterisation laboratory (CCL) in 2013. The World Health Organisation (WHO) safe surgery checklist was used to create the checklist, but it was specifically modified for use in the CCL. Staff liked using the checklist and said they would like one used if they ever needed an intervention themselves. The team achieved 95% implementation of all stages of the checklist. The checklist created a collaborative atmosphere where team members better understood their roles and had more opportunities to raise concerns. Almost 60% of patients noticed staff implementing the checklist and felt safer knowing that it was being used. The team is exploring the possibility of implementing a checklist in emergency scenarios. The British Cardiovascular Society has encouraged national dialogue by publishing new guidance about the use of safety procedure checklists in the CCL.

Length of Publication:  1 web page