Knowledge and Practice of Anesthesia Safety Checklist Use Among Operating Room Personnel: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Background: Anaesthesia safety checklists are important tools for making communication better before and after surgery, making safety procedures more uniform, and lowering the number of avoidable anesthesia-related injuries. However, they are not always used in clinical settings, even though there are strong international recommendations for their use. Differences in knowledge, training, and support from institutions may affect adherence, which shows how important it is to look into what makes operating room staff use checklists. Objective: To evaluate the knowledge and implementation of anaesthesia safety checklist utilisation among operating room staff and to determine factors linked to consistent compliance. Methods: A validated questionnaire was used to conduct a cross-sectional survey of anaesthesiologists, trainees, nurse anaesthetists, and anaesthesia technicians to find out what they knew, how they used checklists, and what they thought were the biggest problems. We used descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multivariable logistic regression to look at factors that affect adherence. Results: Out of 150 participants, the average knowledge level was 72.4% ± 12.1%, with consultants achieving the highest scores. People with a lot of knowledge were much more likely to use the checklist consistently (OR = 5.48; p < 0.001). Time pressure (62%), lack of enforcement (48%), and team cooperation issues (44%) were significant impediments, each correlated with diminished adherence. Knowledge, formal training (adjusted OR = 2.11; p = 0.02), and institutional enforcement (adjusted OR = 2.87; p = 0.002) were independent predictors of adherence. Conclusion: Knowledge, organised training, and institutional support are important factors in following the anaesthesia safety checklist. This shows that we need to use both educational and organisational strategies to improve perioperative safety.