title: [Feasibility and relevance of an operating room safety checklist for developing countries: Study in a French hospital in Djibouti].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of the World Health Organization surgical safety checklist, mandatory in operating rooms (OR) in France, significantly reduces morbidity and mortality. Our objective was to evaluate the use of this checklist in the OR of a French military hospital in Djibouti (Horn of Africa).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed in three stages: a retrospective evaluation of the checklist use over the previous two months, to assess the utilization and completeness rates; provision of information to the OR staff; and thereafter, prospective evaluation for a one-month period of checklist use, the reasons for non-compliance, and the cases in which the checklist identified errors and thus prevented serious adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial utilization rate was 49%, with only 24% complete. After staff training and during the study these rates reached 100% and 99%. The staff encountered language difficulties in 53% of cases, and an interpreter was available for 81% of them. The capacity of the surgical safety checklist to detect serious adverse events was highlighted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The utilization and completeness rates were initially worse than those observed in metropolitan French ORs, but a simple staff information program was rapidly effective. Language difficulties are frequent but an interpreter is often available, unlike in developed countries where language problems are uncommon and the availability of interpreters difficult. Moreover, this study illustrates the ability of the checklist to detect and therefore prevent potentially serious adverse events.
authors: Hôpital d'instruction des armées Laveran, 3 rue Fondère, 13004 Marseille, Service d'anesthésie et de réanimation, hôpital Bouffard, Djibouti.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Becret
authors: Service d'anesthésie et de réanimation, hôpital Bouffard, Djibouti.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Clapson
authors: Service de chirurgie, hôpital Bouffard, Djibouti.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Andro
authors: Service de chirurgie, hôpital Bouffard, Djibouti.
authors: X
authors: X
authors: Chapelier
authors: Service de chirurgie, hôpital Bouffard, Djibouti.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Gauthier
authors: Service d'anesthésie et de réanimation, hôpital Bouffard, Djibouti, Service d'anesthésie et de réanimation, hôpital d'instruction des armées Saint-Anne, Toulon.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Kaiser
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000592:standards; D057189:Checklist / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003144:Communication Barriers; D015730:Djibouti; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005602:France / Q000208:ethnology; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000592:standards; D007802:Language; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D061214:Patient Safety / Q000592:standards; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000592:standards
keywords: Djibouti; check-list; language; operating room; safety