A preliminary study of patients’ perceptions on the implementation of the WHO surgical safety checklist in women who had Cesarean sections

The surgical safety checklist (SSCL), developed by the World Health Organization, is widely implemented by surgical staff for the improvement of their communication, teamwork, and safety culture in the operating room. However, there is no research available addressing the question of how surgical patients perceive the implementation of the SSCL. In order to address this issue, a questionnaire-based preliminary study was conducted for patients who had undergone elective Cesarean section under awake regional anesthesia. Although most participants had not been informed about the implementation of the SSCL before surgery, all of the patients were aware that the SSCL had been performed in the operating room. Over 80 % of patients answered that the implementation of the SSCL could help to reduce their feelings of anxiety, tension, and fear, as well as enhance their feeling of security. Furthermore, most patients answered that they were able to understand the components as well as the purpose of the SSCL, and considered that the SSCL should be implemented. These results suggest that awake patients undergoing Cesarean section perceive the implementation of the SSCL to be a highly positive aspect of their surgical care.