CHECKLISTS – ISSUE NO. 56

We all have checklists in our life. It might be as simple as a grocery checklist, but, we use the list as an aid to reduce failure, i.e., to help insure we do not forget something when we go shopping at the grocery store. Checklists are becoming more popular within the medical field. They are now looked upon as a means to help reduce failure and make sure everybody is doing it the same each and every time. In our June 16th update we had a story about surgical checklists and how important they are. We also had stories about patients being called again about possible improper cleaning of equipment. A checklist can be made up for almost all activities within a hospital. In fact, Healthmark developed one of the first checklists when it came to insuring staff would remember what to review when it came to checking their automatic washing equipment. This type of list has helped Sterile Processing do a better job when it comes to monitoring their cleaning equipment. Some might also say a competency is like a check list, because it is a type of informational list like a job aid used to reduce failure and make sure everybody is dong that specific task the same way each and every time. Santa had a list and checked it twice. Maybe we need to follow his example when it comes to patient care. Check our list twice before we do something. That check list could help save a life.