ArticlePatient safety in surgery2024
The Power of The (First) Name: Do name tags for operating room staff improve effective communication and patient safety? A proof-of-concept study from an academic medical center in Germany.
Article in Patient safety in surgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- When seconds matter - introducing a surgical salvage strategy by emergency robotic surgery: a review.Patient safety in surgery · 2026Review
- Surgeons' personal cloth scrub caps: harmless perk or implicit infection prevention risk?Patient safety in surgery · 2026Article
- Labeled surgical caps improve perioperative patient safety and interprofessional communication in the operating room: a scoping review.Patient safety in surgery · 2026Review
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEffective and reliable communication is the cornerstone of safe communication in the operating room (OR). The OR is one of the most dynamic places in the hospital where multiple disciplines must work together in perfect harmony to ultimately improve patient outcomes. To create familiarity by name regarding constantly changing team members, individual name tagging was implemented in the OR.
methodsWe analysed the impact of name tagging in the OR in a proof-of-concept study. Name tags (either first or last name), coloured according to the specific department, have been placed on the cap since March 13, 2023. On May 26, 2023, a total of 440 anaesthesiologists, general, visceral, and trauma surgeons, nurses, and service staff were invited to answer an evaluation questionnaire of nine questions. The survey period ended on August 7, 2023. 101 people answered the query which, among other things, asked for overall ratings, compliance, evaluation of specific items as well as positive and negative aspects. Statistical analyses were performed using R.
resultsMost of the interviewed staff rated the implementation of name tagging positively (median=3.4; scale from 1-5, 1=bad, 5=good). The greatest benefit was seen in communication in general, direct contact with colleagues, and delegation of tasks. Most of the staff (>90 %) adhered to the new project and used it regularly. Negative aspects mentioned included potential loss of sterility, loss of respectability, and environmental impact. Potential for improvement was seen in the bonding method of attachment or in the implementation.
conclusionIndividual name tagging in the OR can improve interprofessional communication and is one tool to enhance patient safety by decreasing reservations or intimidations towards previously unknown colleagues. More studies are required to determine long-term effects on patient safety, outcome, or employee satisfaction.
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