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

Abstract

Background The 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.

Objective To explore the experiences of operating room nurse preceptors using SPLINTS-no in the supervision of operating room students' non-technical skills.

Design An explorative qualitative design was used.

Methods Data 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.

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. There were also findings supporting that reflection over non-technical skills contributed to building an increased awareness of these skills.

Conclusions SPLINTS-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.