Effectiveness of Surgical Safety Checklists in Reducing Surgical Errors in Operating Theatres at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare, 2025

Abstract

Surgical errors remain a major public health concern worldwide, contributing significantly to preventable morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. To address this challenge, the World Health Organization introduced the Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) as a standardized tool to improve communication, teamwork, and patient safety in operating theatres. Despite widespread recognition of its benefits, inconsistent implementation and varying levels of compliance among healthcare professionals continue to limit its effectiveness, particularly in resource-constrained settings. This study investigated the effectiveness of surgical safety checklists in reducing surgical errors in operating theatres at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare, in 2025. The study was guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), which explains how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control influence individuals’ intentions and behaviours. A quantitative cross-sectional explanatory research design was employed to assess the factors influencing the utilization of surgical safety checklists and their impact on surgical error reduction. The study population consisted of surgeons, anaesthetists, and nurses working in the operating theatres. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 150 participants to ensure adequate representation of the different professional groups. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire developed around the key constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, multiple regression, and logistic regression techniques to determine the relationships between behavioural factors, checklist utilization, and surgical error reduction. The findings revealed that positive attitudes toward the use of surgical safety checklists significantly increased healthcare professionals’ intention to use them. Similarly, supportive subjective norms and higher levels of perceived behavioural control were found to have a positive influence on behavioural intention. Behavioural intention was identified as a strong predictor of actual checklist use in the operating theatre. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that consistent and proper utilization of surgical safety checklists was associated with a reduction in surgical errors, thereby enhancing patient safety outcomes. The study concluded that behavioural factors play a crucial role in promoting compliance with surgical safety checklists and improving their effectiveness in reducing surgical errors. The study recommends continuous professional education and training, strengthened institutional policies, enhanced supervision, and improved teamwork among operating theatre staff to increase adherence to checklist protocols. These findings provide valuable evidence for healthcare managers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to strengthen patient safety practices and reduce preventable surgical errors in resource-limited healthcare settings.