The rostering nature of hospitals means that hospital staff often work with different people every day, and remembering the names of all the different staff in a hospital is a real challenge especially for staff who regularly work in a number of different hospitals. In most hospitals, staff are required to wear a name tag but these can be difficult to read and in theatre situations are often obscured by medical gowns. Even when a staff member is familiar with the names of other staff it can sometimes be hard to recognise them in full theatre scrubs when only their eyes are visible.
The World Health Organisation Surgical Safety Checklist includes a guideline which requires all staff in operating theatres to introduce themselves prior to surgery. However this doesn’t always happen, perhaps due to lack of time or staff already being familiar with each other having previously worked together. Some theatres have a whiteboard where the names of all attending staff are written, but this is sometimes not kept up to date, particularly when staff are swapped out at short notice.
To combat any confusion, Dr Rob Hackett, a Sydney anaesthetist began wearing a cap printed with his name and profession. The means of identification was quickly adopted by surgical staff in Australia and internationally, and now has an associated hashtag #TheatreCapChallenge, with surgical team staff encouraged to upload images of themselves wearing their identifying theatre caps. The Twitter hashtag was initiated by Alison Brindle, a student midwife in the UK.
The benefits of identification on theatre caps
Dr Rob Hackett was motivated to identify himself in an effort to improve patient safety and efficiency. Not knowing the name of a colleague can lead to delays, particularly in health emergencies when the quick transfer of equipment or medications is essential. Names and roles on theatre caps prevent the possibility of mix-ups when staff members have the same first name and also facilitates handover of patients. A side benefit is that it improves camaraderie and collaboration in the operating theatre.
This simple and cheap practice also has benefits for patients and their families. For patients being wheeled into theatre, knowing the names of everybody and what their role can be reassuring, particularly for women undergoing a caesarean section, or parents escorting their children into theatre in preparation for surgery or a procedure.
There has been some opposition to the movement but it is largely being supported by medical institutions in Australia and the UK, and the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants recently stated on Twitter that they love the idea. It remains to be seen whether the practice becomes popular worldwide.