Abstract

AMAYA-ARIAS, Ana Carolina et al. Safe behaviours and acceptance of the use of checklists in urban obstetric units in Colombia. Rev. colomb. anestesiol. [online]. 2017, vol.45, n.1, pp.22-30. ISSN 0120-3347.

Introduction: The use of checklists in healthcare, has proven to be a useful means for improving safety in care and reducing errors and adverse events; however, acceptance and use by healthcare practitioners is still an important problem. Objective: To describe the degree of knowledge and acceptance of the use of checklists, and to determine the percentage of safe practices performed by healthcare workers during obstetric care in obstetrics and gynaecology units in Colombia. Method: Cross-sectional observational study. The sample consisted of healthcare teams of the obstetric areas in three institutions. The acceptance survey was given based on convenience sampling to 38 healthcare workers in institution A, 74 in institution B and 50 in institution C, and 29 maternal care observations were made in each institution. Results: It was found that healthcare workers are aware of the checklists, have used them or are using them, and show and intermediate level of favourable attitudes, institution A being the one with the most favourable attitude towards their use. The three institutions had similar percentages of compliance with safe behaviours (72-79%), but some had lower values in areas such as confirming or administering antibiotics, compliance with the hand washing protocol, and processes related to patient or family education. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals working in the obstetric units assessed had, at the time, knowledge and experience with the use of checklists and relatively good attitudes towards them; moreover, the level of compliance with safe behaviours was medium to high.

Keywords : Patient safety; Obstetrics; Gynecology; Maternal mortality; Infant mortality.

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