title: Long-term effects of a perioperative safety checklist from the viewpoint of personnel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While positive short-term effects of the use of safety checklists have previously been reported by personnel, it is unclear to which extent these effects are maintained for a long-term period. The aim of the present study was to evaluate perioperative safety standards and the quality of interprofessional cooperation from the viewpoint of the involved personnel for up to 2 years following the introduction of a safety checklist.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of 99 co-workers in the departments of anaesthesiology and traumatology was conducted using a 19-point questionnaire concerning perioperative safety-relevant aspects and the quality of interprofessional cooperation before and at 3, 18, and 24 months after the introduction of a safety checklist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Verification of written consent for surgery (P < 0.01), clear marking of the surgical site (P < 0.01), and time management (P < 0.05) were rated more positively over time by the anaesthesiologists and nurses. Items involving communication were rated less positively after 18 and 24 months than at 3 months. Orthopaedic surgeons rated being better informed about the patients (P < 0.05), the planned operation (P < 0.01), and the assignment of tasks during surgery (P < 0.01) progressively more positively over the time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some positive effects concerning the perioperative organisation and management were rated more positively even 2 years after checklist implementation. However, interprofessional communication and cooperation did not show long-term improvement from staff members' point of view. Probably longer lasting effects for the latter aspects could be achieved by repeated instruction and communication training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Cologne Merheim Medical Center, Cologne, Germany. boehmera@kliniken-koeln.de
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Böhmer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kindermann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwanke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellendir
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tinschmann
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bouillon
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wappler
authors.forename: M U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Gerbershagen
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D057189:Checklist; D032962:Consent Forms; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009719:Nurse Anesthetists; D009726:Nurses; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D061214:Patient Safety; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000592:standards*; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013995:Time; D014194:Traumatology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy