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Verbal Communication Failures among Surgical Team Members: A Descriptive Observational Study
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Masoumehsadat Mortazavinasiri   , Shahla Mohammadzade Zarankesh  , Roza Hoorsan * |
| Department of Midwifery, TeMS.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. , r.hoorsan@iau.ir |
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Abstract: (12 Views) |
Background and Aim: Communication failures are a key source of medical errors, particularly in surgical settings where effective teamwork is essential. This study investigated the types and contexts of communication failures among surgical team members in hospitals in Tehran, Iran.
Material and Methods: A descriptive observational study was conducted from September to November 2022. Using stratified sampling, an experienced observer recorded verbal communications among general surgical teams during 52 procedures. Communication failures were identified based on Lingard’s framework throughout the surgical workflow and assessed using 11 items of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC).
Results: Among 350 observed communication events during 52 general surgery procedures, 28 (8%) were classified as communication failures. Occasion-related failures were most frequent (64.28%), followed by failures in content (17.86%), purpose (10.71%), and audience (7.14%). Nearly half of the failures occurred during anesthetic induction and the operative phase (48.57%). Failures most commonly involved reviewing clinical records (17.9%) and operating room equipment (14.3%) within SSC items.
Conclusion: Although infrequent, communication failures pose significant risk due to their potential consequences. The findings highlight critical targets for intervention, including enhanced teamwork training and optimized SSC implementation. Strengthening communication practices may reduce preventable adverse events and improve patient safety.
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| Keywords: Communication failures, operating room, surgical safety checklist, patient safety. |
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Full-Text [PDF 325 kb]
(10 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/01/28 | Accepted: 2024/04/1 | Published: 2024/04/1
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