Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan HY1, Fu MF2, Chan KL2, Yip CF2, Lam PK3, Wong PMB3, Hau LM3, Kwan WM4, Lam KM1, Cheng CP1
Affiliation :
1Department of Anaesthesia and Operating Theatre Services, New Territories West Cluster; 2Operating Theatre, Department of Anaesthesia and Operating Theatre Services, Pok Oi Hospital; 3Quality and Safety Division, New Territories West Cluster; 4 Clinical Effectiveness and Technology Management, Quality and Safety Division, Hospital Authority Head Office
Introduction :
Frequent staff turnovers, surgical and theatre attires make staff identification and name recalling a big challenge in operating theatre. During COVID-19 pandemic, the widespread use of personal protective equipment further aggravated the situation. Misidentification could result in communication breakdown, jeopardizing working morale and even patient safety. Communication failure was studied to be up to 30%. #Theatrecapchallenge Campaign by the use of personalized theatre caps to display staff names and roles was launched by PatientSafeNetwork in 2017. Positive impacts on clinical communication and staff engagement have been proposed. The ideas have been spreading in various centres worldwide. We were inspired by the idea and prior approval was obtained from PatientSafeNetwork to adopt the survey questions used in #theatrecapchallenge Campaign in the 4-week trial in Pok Oi Hospital in July 2020.
Objectives :
1) To evaluate the feasibility of the implementation of personalized theatre caps in a local operating theatre; 2) To estimate the potential benefits of personalized theatre caps on team communication, morale and patient safety
Methodology :
Compliance rate of wearing personalized theatre caps and accuracy in staff identification were recorded, whereas pre-intervention and post-intervention questionnaire was designed to evaluate anaesthetists, operating theatre nurses, operating theatre assistants and surgeons’ attitudes towards personalized theatre caps on team communication, working morale, and patient safety. Qualitative analysis was also performed by collection of written comments in the questionnaires.
Result & Outcome :
The response rates were 79.6% (78/98) and 82.2% (83/101) for pre-intervention and post-intervention questionnaire respectively. Compliance rates were 94.84%, 96.4% and 100% for anaesthetists, OT nurses and OT assistants, and 25.69% for surgeons respectively. An improved accuracy in staff identification up to 6.92% was observed after implementation of personalized theatre caps. Positive gains in staff attitudes were observed under the domains: 1) perceived familiarity of staff identification; 2) compliance to WHO surgical safety checklist in self-introduction; 3) perceived propensity to raise concerns during OT; 4) perceived usefulness and benefits of personalized theatre caps. Personalized theatre cap was proven as a feasible option for name and role visibility with demonstration of improved staff identification and enhanced team communication in operating theatre. With the potential logistic barriers identified, further support from Cluster OT Committee to extend the implementation coverage to TMH and TSWH OT would be sought.
