4 Checklist Mistakes to Avoid

While appropriate use of checklists helps improve surgical quality and patient safety, they must be used in conjunction with proper training and expectations, according to a newsletter from LifeWings.

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According to Stephen W. Harden, chairman and CEO of LifeWings, the following mistakes made during checklist use can be the most devastating to teamwork and quality:

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1. Mandating use of the checklist without consulting the teams that will be using it. Soliciting feedback from surgical teams allows them to tailor the checklist to their facility- and case-specific needs in the operating room.

2. Implementing the checklist without adequate training. Without training, the likelihood that a checklist will be used effectively falls drastically.

3. Implementing the checklist without training on teamwork. Likewise, teamwork for crosschecking is crucial to checklist use.

4. Expecting a checklist to be a magic bullet. Standardized checklists will not do much to move the needle on surgical quality. Tailored checklists introduced with appropriate training have a much greater potential for change.

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