The collaborative development of a pre-operative checklist: an e-Delphi study

The aim of this study was to identify which items should be included in a pre-operative checklist based on recommendations by nurse experts in order to promote patient safety and effective communication in the perioperative environment. Method: Thirty-five nurses participated in this e-Delphi study, which was conducted online via SurveyMonkey®. Each survey presented participants with a list of potential items for inclusion in a pre-operative checklist. Participants were asked to identify items they felt should be included in the checklist with the option to include comments. Comments were de-identified and shared with other participants to allow confidential interaction. The surveys were analysed for consensus, determined as agreement between at least 70% of participants. Results: Three survey rounds were completed. Forty-six items achieved consensus for inclusion in a pre-operative checklist. Conclusion: The 46 items which achieved consensus were condensed to a list of 25 items categorised as: 1. Patient and procedure verification; 2. Preparation; and 3. Assessments. The findings of this study provide an evidence base for development of pre-operative checklists, to promote patient safety and effective communication in the perioperative environment.