Implementation

Objective 4: How to implement the checklist in your theatre 

It is important that all members of the team are involved in the Safe-anastomosis checklist including the surgeon, surgical trainee(s), anaesthetist, anaesthetic trainee(s), scrub staff, and operating theatre practitioners.

The checklist should be performed immediately before the anastomosis is intended to be performed. All team members should be made aware that the checklist will be done at this time, before the operation has started.

The checklist should be read out by an unscrubbed member of the theatre team, allowing all theatre team members to respond and raise queries.

Make the use of the ESCP Safe-anastomosis checklist part of routine practice in your theatre!

A meeting with the theatre team leads in your hospital for theatre that routinely undertake colorectal surgery is an important step to ensuring that they understand the purpose and need for the checklist, and that it is completed at the correct time and in the correct way.

Have you had success in implementing the checklist in your theatre? Please do share your experience in the Safe-anastomosis Forum