Standard Operating Procedure: use in nursing care in hospital services.
This is a descriptive and quantitative study, carried out in three hospitals in the Northwest of São Paulo, Brazil. It aimed to verify the existence and use of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by nursing teams. SOPs describe each critical and sequential step of a task to ensure its expected result. A total of 261 nursing professionals participated in the study, randomly selected from different units and shifts between August and September 2006. Results indicate that 56.7% use SOPs only when they have doubts; 54.02% of the nursing technicians and auxiliaries and 62.86% of nurses do not believe the procedures are being complied with. These findings indicate the need for continuing training on SOP use and compliance by all professionals, with a view to improving nursing care.
Guerrero
Giselle Patrícia
GP
Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, Brazil. giguerrero7@yahoo.com.br
Beccaria
Lúcia Marinilza
LM
Trevizan
Maria Auxiliadora
MA
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009729:Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult