Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices of the WHO surgical checklist in neurosurgery at a quaternary referral hospital, Durban, South Africa

Background: Despite an established WHO surgical safety checklist (SSCL) at the referral hospital in Durban, "Never Events" still occur. Observations suggest that many surgical team members are unaware of SSCL existence, those who knew about it are not convinced that it prevents errors, reduces morbidity and mortality and tend not to use it. Objectives: The study aimed to establish the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices regarding the SSCL and its use among the neurosurgical staff at a quaternary referral hospital in Durban, South Africa. Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to neurosurgical theatre staff at the referral hospital in Durban. Data collected included their awareness, beliefs, attitude and practices regarding the SSCL. Data collected were analysed using R Statistical computing software of the R core Team, 2020. Results: Of the participants that responded, 97% had knowledge of SSCL, 84% knew where it is, 86% believed that it was easily accessible, 96% knew why and 90% knew when to use it. All agreed that the SSCL is a crucial safety tool. Majority believed that SSCL prevents perioperative adverse events, is not time consuming, is not a useless tool, does not increase the workload and does not make patients anxious. Conclusion: Results show that most surgical teams know of WHO SSCL. The negative attitude of staff towards SSCL is a significant factor in most of the studies in deterring effective implementation and use. The majority of the study participants believe the SSCL is an essential surgical safety tool useful in preventing errors, morbidity and mortality.