Determinants of the world health organization surgical safety checklist use among clinicians at Kenyatta National Hospital Nairobi, Kenya

Introduction: The World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) minimizes harm to patients. Clinicians use the checklist to confirm and ensure that the correct surgical operation is performed on the correct patient at the correct location. There are limited studies done to assess the effectiveness of using SSC in the operating rooms at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) since its adoption in 2012. Objective: The broad objective of the study was to determine SSC use among clinicians at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya; and determine clinicians’ and institutional-related factors influencing its use at the same hospital. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the operating theatres at KNH. The study recruited 178 consented clinicians who use SSC and excluded those on leave based on the multi-stage sampling technique and Yamane’s formulae. Collected data were processed using IBM SPSS version 20. Results: About 98% of the respondents were aware of SSC with 95% reporting its use during the interview day. Around 52% of the respondents had the clinical experience of over 10 years with 46% having theatre experience of over 10 years. Almost 95% of the respondents reported availability and its use with 99% confirming its mandatory usage in the operating theatres. Training and sensitization of clinicians on the use of the checklist were at 62% and 70%, respectively. Conclusion There was a recommendable utilization level of SSC at 95% influenced by clinicians’ and institutional related factors at Kenyatta National Hospital.