Post-operative Surgical Safety Checklist Implementation in the Surgery Ward

Introduction: WHO initiative has shown that adequate knowledge of the risks that may endanger patients’ lives and wellbeing is essential and they can be diminished by implementing surgical safety checklists during surgery. Objectives: Identify actions aimed at providing better patient safety through the implementation of safety checklists in the postoperative period. Place of implementation: Hospital Aeronautico Central. Design: prospective, observational. Population: 200 surgeries. Method: Analysis of errors identified using Surgical Safety Checklists in 200 surgeries, between April and October 2011. Results: The following was identified: 20 (57%) incomplete or defective surgery reports, 4 (11%) patients with inadequate or insufficient analgesia, 4 (11%) patients with postoperative indication of oxygen therapy not administered or placed with inadequate flow, and 3 (8.6%) patients with indication to wear abdominal binder were without them or they were wrongly placed. Conclusions: The use of Safety Checklists reduces risks and prevents avoidable adverse events. In this regard, continuing education in all work areas is vital in order to achieve a real safety policy for the surgical patient.