EVALUATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES RELATED TO PATIENT SAFETY GOALS AMONG ANESTHESIA PROVIDERS AT HAYATABAD MEDICAL COMPLEX
Keywords:
Anesthesia safety; Patient safety; WHO Surgical Safety Checklist; Safety standards; Operation Theatre; Intensive Care Unit; Clinical practice.Abstract
Background: Patient safety is a fundamental component of safe anesthesia practice. The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA), has developed international standards and safety recommendations to promote safe anesthesia care. This study aimed to assess anesthesia providers’ current practices, evaluate their knowledge and understanding of critical patient safety standards, and identify potential gaps between their knowledge and clinical practice, particularly regarding the use of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among anesthesia-related healthcare professionals working in the Operation Theatre (OT) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Hayatabad medical complex. Data were collected from 90 participants using a structured questionnaire designed to assess their knowledge, awareness, and practices related to anesthesia patient safety standards and the WHO safety checklist. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: A total of 90 participants were included in the study. Among them, 77 (85.6%) were males and 13 (14.4%) were females. Regarding professional designation, 13 (14.4%) were anesthesia technicians, 36 (40.0%) were anesthesia technologists, 25 (27.8%) were anesthesiologists, and 16 (17.8%) were anesthesia trainees. The findings showed that 65 participants (72.2%) were familiar with the WHO safety checklist, whereas 25 participants (27.8%) were not familiar with it. These findings indicate that although the majority of participants were aware of the WHO safety checklist, a considerable proportion lacked familiarity with this important patient-safety tool.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist is recognized as an important tool for promoting patient safety among HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS staff at HMC. It’s appropriate and consistent implementation may contribute to improved communication and teamwork, reduction of preventable anesthesia-related errors, and enhancement of overall patient safety. However, the identified gap in familiarity among some participants highlights the need for continued education, training, and monitoring to ensure effective implementation of anesthesia safety standards.
