Student supervision using the Scrub Practitioners' List of Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills (SPLINTS-no): A qualitative study

Signe Berit Bentsen,Kristine Horgen Aamodt,Irene Sirevåg,Ida Mykkeltveit

doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104686

Abstract

BackgroundThe importance of non-technical skills in the prevention of adverse events in the operating room is well documented through research. With the increased attention to non-technical skills, the need for structured training to support the development of such skills has emerged. The Scrub Practitioners' List of Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills (SPLINTS) is an instrument for structuring observation as well as rating and feedback of non-technical skills for operating room nurses, and it can be used for student supervision and self-reflection. SPLINTS-no is the Norwegian translation and adaptation of SPLINTS. ObjectiveTo explore the experiences of operating room nurse preceptors using SPLINTS-no in the supervision of operating room students' non-technical skills. DesignAn explorative qualitative design was used. MethodsData were collected using semi-structured qualitative interviews with 10 operating room nurse preceptors in a Norwegian university hospital. The data were analysed by inductive qualitative content analysis. ResultsThe operating room nurse preceptors experienced that the use of SPLINTS-no had an impact on the quality of student supervision. They improved their supervision competencies, and the use of SPLINTS-no contributed to consistency in observation and supervision. There were also findings supporting that reflection over non-technical skills contributed to building an increased awareness of these skills. ConclusionsSPLINTS-no has an impact on clinical student supervision through an increased awareness on non-technical skills. It is well accepted by the operating room nurses as a supportive tool in the supervision of non-technical skills of student operating room nurses during clinical placement.

Highlights

In the last decades, worldwide interest in prevention of adverse events in health care has emerged (World Health Organization, 2004)
The collected data provided detailed descriptions on the operating room (OR) nurses’ experience using Scrub Practitioners’ List of Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills (SPLINTS)-no supervising OR nursing students during clinical studies, and the findings of the analysis showed that SPLINTS-no influenced several areas
The preceptors experienced that SPLINTS-no had an impact on their supervision “It is difficult to supervise on non-technical skills (NTS), and without a tool the feedback becomes vague” (p3)

Summary

Introduction

Worldwide interest in prevention of adverse events in health care has emerged (World Health Organization, 2004). The importance of non-technical skills in the prevention of adverse events in the operating room is well documented through research. Objective: To explore the experiences of operating room nurse preceptors using SPLINTS-no in the supervision of operating room students’ non-technical skills. Methods: Data were collected using semi-structured qualitative interviews with 10 operating room nurse pre ceptors in a Norwegian university hospital. Results: The operating room nurse preceptors experienced that the use of SPLINTS-no had an impact on the quality of student supervision. They improved their supervision competencies, and the use of SPLINTS-no contributed to consistency in observation and supervision. It is well accepted by the operating room nurses as a supportive tool in the supervision of nontechnical skills of student operating room nurses during clinical placement

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion