The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the knowledge of student nurses regarding the cost concepts in health economics, specifically the efficient allocation of resources and determining the cost of interventions, in order to prepare them to deliver cost-effective yet quality nursing care. An explorative and descriptive quantitative design was used. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Respondents were student nurses studying towards becoming professional nurses in their final year of study (comprehensive programme). The results revealed an apparent lack of knowledge among student nurses regarding cost concepts in health economics, although respondents agreed that knowledge of health economics is essential for nursing practice. The results led the researcher to draw a strong conclusion that there is a need for the inclusion of a module regarding health economics in the nursing curriculum and in continuous professional development (CPD) workshops and in-service training. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Health Studies / D. Litt. et phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

Text in English / This study investigated practices, motivations, perceived benefits and barriers to outsourcing of support services by general hospitals in Uganda. The aim was to contribute to the evidence base to increase adoption and effectiveness of outsourcing by hospitals in Uganda. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used. Quantitative data was collected from hospital managers in 32 randomly selected hospitals using a self-administered questionnaire. Qualitative data was collected through in-depth interviews from 8 purposively selected hospital managers using an interview guide. Quantitative data was statistical analysed (frequencies, contingency tables and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests) using SAS 9.3. Qualitative data was managed using ATLAS ti 7, coded manually and content analysis conducted to identify emerging themes, subthemes and categories. A cost benefit analysis was conducted for outsourcing cleaning services in a selected hospital using financial data provided by the managers. Quantitative findings indicate that many (72%) hospitals were outsourcing some of their support services; many were satisfied with their outsourcing (>60%). The key motivation for outsourcing was to gain access to quality service (68%). Most hospitals have a system for monitoring outsourcing (71%). Managers perceive improved productivity and better services as the main benefit from outsourcing (90%). The main barrier to outsourcing is limited financing. A key challenge encountered during outsourcing was limited number of service providers (57%). Managers perceive regulatory violations as a key risk during outsourcing (87%). Hospital location is a determinant of outsourcing (p=0.0033). Managers’ perceptions towards outsourcing have no impact on outsourcing (p>0.05). These findings were confirmed and explained by the qualitative data. Qualitative findings reveal masquerading, impersonation and extortion of patients by outsourced staff as an outsourcing risk. They reveal a concern that outsourcing may lead to job loss for community members. The cost benefit analysis indicates that outsourcing in the studied hospital for the year considered was cheaper than insourcing by UGX 669,575.00. The savings increase to UGX 48,753,689.94 when adjusted for quality differences between insourced and outsourced services. Sensitivity analysis shows that the assumptions used in the analysis were robust. Recommendations, interventions and guidelines are proposed for increasing outsourcing and its effectiveness. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

This study explores the practical and ideological implications of the New Public Management (NPM) paradigm as introduced in Greece by the so-called “Troika”, a sobriquet referring to a triumvirate comprising representatives of the IMF, the European Union, and the European Central Bank. In the past, attempts had been made by Greek officials to implement managerial practices within the Greek National Health Service (NHS) and the hospital sector in particular, albeit at a more leisurely pace than that of other countries’. On arrival to Greece the Troika imposed a number of changes to improve the country’s public services; and set a brisk pace to accelerate their implementation. The present doctoral thesis seeks to critically evaluate the issue of whether those reforms, especially those salient to the Greek NHS system, are true manifestations of a shift in the NPM paradigm or whether they represent yet another archetypal Greek public sector restructuring. It will also evaluate responses to and outcomes of the successive reforms in the Greece’s NHS system, ascertain the factors contributing to and/or impeding the adoption of those reforms, and identify new opportunities for growth. In order to gain access to a more profound insight into the Greek context, the collection of secondary data provides, among other things, an historical background of Greece’s public healthcare system; reviews the system’s characteristics in terms of healthcare policies, and probes into the state of working conditions within public hospitals. The heightened managerial spirit prevalent in Greece at the moment and brought about by the Troika’s tenure, has made it necessary for the literature review of the present work to focus on the ways that managerial practices and ideologies are imposed on other countries so that their public sector dysfunctionalities may be rectified. Drawing on the literature reviewed, the study develops an integrated analytical framework anchored in NPM, so as to test it in the Greek case and contribute to understanding the Greek NHS organisational realities as well as to evaluating how the new changes have been evolving and faring within Greece’s healthcare organisations. The framework is comprised of a review of the NPM paradigm so as to contextualise the Greek reforms in terms of ideology and practices; a review of Principal-Agent Theory (PAT) for illuminating the interrelationships and involvement of the key actors with the reforms; and a review of Critical Realism (CR) for assisting to reveal the underlying mechanisms and structures that bind the actors with the organisations and their development. Apart from providing the conceptual basis of the thesis, the framework also serves in informing its methodological design (i.e., generating the interview schedule), analysing the findings, and steering the discussion. The study adopts an in-depth, qualitative research approach that views social life within organisations in terms of processes, events, actions, and activities between key actors as factors unfolding over time. To that purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the key stakeholders of the Greek NHS system: State hospital doctors, hospital managers, and policymakers. The contribution of the study is an in-depth analysis of reform implementation as carried out in Greece’s medical system which now stands, within a turbulent economic and political context. By means of that analytical framework, it is shown that Greece is a sui generis case whose context and historical background are altogether different than those of other countries’. Moreover, the framework demonstrates that, despite the fact that NPM is firmly ensconced, as far as practice and ideology go, it is too soon to be drawing any conclusions: NPM is still in its infancy and reforms to the Greek NHS system have yet to be finalised as they continuously stumble on the inefficiencies and blunders of the past which hinder them from functioning properly. Last, the thesis does possess one more unique feature: it delves into the thinking, manoeuvres, and behaviour of the Greek healthcare professionals as a group, a world rarely if ever explored by empirical studies.

Esta pesquisa propõe um instrumento para avaliação de serviços hospitalares com base em critérios de assistência, infraestrutura e práticas de gestão, como forma de contribuir para o gerenciamento dos negócios em saúde no Brasil. Desta forma, identificou-se que os planos/seguros de saúde e os hospitais brasileiros não possuem um instrumento abrangente e adequado para aferir a qualidade dos serviços hospitalares multiespecializados, disponibilizados aos seus clientes, nos três aspectos fundamentais citados acima. Consequentemente, não há diferenciação, nas tabelas de remuneração contratadas entre planos/seguros de saúde e hospitais, que seja fundamentada em critérios técnicos e que estimulem a concorrência entre os prestadores de serviços nos quesitos eficiência, qualidade e custos dos serviços prestados aos clientes/pacientes. Através da revisão bibliográfica, buscou-se compreender a dinâmica econômica do setor saúde no Brasil, o relacionamento comercial entre os participantes, os métodos de classificação hospitalar disponíveis no mercado brasileiro, os critérios legais e técnicos para avaliação da assistência médicohospitalar, da infraestrutura hospitalar e das práticas de administração hospitalar. Obteve-se, ao final desta pesquisa, uma ferramenta de diagnóstico precisa, do tipo check list, para mensurar as condições técnicas dos serviços hospitalares disponibilizados aos clientes das instituições avaliadas. / This research proposes a tool for evaluation of hospital services on the basis of assistance, infrastructure and management practices as a way to contribute to the health care management in Brazil. Thus, we identified that Brazilians prepaid health plans/health insurance and hospitals do not have a comprehensive and appropriate instrument for measuring the quality of multi-specialist hospital services, available to their customers for the three aspects above mentioned of this hospital services. Consequently, there is no differentiation in price scales between contracted prepaid health plans/health insurance and hospitals that are based on technical criteria and to encourage competition among service providers regarding to efficiency, quality and cost of services to clients/patients. Through literature review we sought to understand the economic dynamics of the health care management field in Brazil, the commercial relationship between participants, the methods of hospital classification available in Brazil, legal and technical criteria for evaluation of medical assistance, the hospital infrastructure and practices of hospital administration. It was obtained at the end of this research a diagnostic tool, of the check list type, for measuring the technical conditions of hospital services provided to clients by the evaluated institutions.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology (MTech) in Information Technology In the Faculty of Informatics and Design, at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), 2013 / Healthcare services are vital to all human beings, as our daily lives depend on them. In South Africa approximately eighty per cent of the population uses the public healthcare services. In the current healthcare systems data corruption exists which threatens data quality in the systems. The aim of this study was to understand the existing information handling processes and factors that affect the accuracy and integrity of healthcare data. A qualitative research methodology, under the interpretive paradigm was used for this investigation. Activity theory is used to formulate an analytical framework, the “healthcare information system data quality activity theory framework”. This was very helpful for understanding the healthcare information handling process as an activity system that consists of actors with individual goals. Though the goals are varied, they are joined together by the common objective. The logic of the framework is that a realisation of goals in the activity system depends on a number of factors. At the beginning, there must be a synchronous inter-linkage between the goals of the actors, the mediating factors such as adequate tools, user skills, enabling policies, and the systematic procedures that are diligently enforced. It is assumed that any situation which prevents this inter-linkage will have a negative impact on the realisation of the sought objective. The framework therefore, was very helpful in informing questions, the data collection and ultimately, the analysis processes. The public healthcare sector is the main source of data; other sources were literature, the Internet and books. The analysis of data was done using content analysis to find what themes emerge and the relationship (s) between them in what is being analysed. The findings reveal a lack of adherence to information handling procedures and processes which lead to corrupt data in the systems. In addition, most users have limited skills, which is a hindrance to them in performing their duties as expected by the healthcare sector. In fact, the healthcare sector is also challenged by systems which are constantly slow or down, due to limited network capacity and human errors. The presence of these challenges suggests non-adherence to data handling procedures, which explains the existing corrupt data in the healthcare systems. Therefore the recommendation is that the public healthcare administration must enhance their training programs. The training must be re-designed to cater for the needs of all users, regardless of their background. It needs to improve user skills and boast their confidence in using electronic systems. Obviously, any changes and improvements need to be sustainable, and the sector is unlikely to succeed without enforcement of new procedures. Therefore, adherence to data handling procedures must be strictly enforced, with policies thoroughly communicated to the users. That way, the sector will not only have systems and related policies, but also ensure their full exploitation for improved service delivery in the public healthcare sector in South Africa.

O conceito de segurança nasceu com o homem primitivo ao lutar diariamente para sobreviver contra os ataques de predadores. Com o passar dos anos foram surgindo parâmetros de sobrevivência e segurança em quase todas as atividades de trabalho. Na área de saúde e de enfermagem este tema tem mobilizado esforços das organizações de saúde no sentido de evitar falhas nos processos de cuidado que possam causar eventos adversos aos pacientes. Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória, descritiva, com abordagem qualitativa, com o objetivo de analisar a aplicação do checklist da cirurgia segura no centro cirúrgico para a segurança do paciente. O estudo foi conduzido utilizando-se a técnica de grupos focais e métodos fotográficos de pesquisa, na perspectiva do pensamento ecológico restaurativo, entre o período de março e junho de 2014. As informações foram organizadas com o recurso do programa NVivo 10 e submetidas à análise de conteúdo do tipo temática, surgiram três categorias: Checklist para a segurança do paciente: ainda um desafio, Motivos da não adesão ao checklist da Cirurgia Segura, Etapas do Checklist. Os resultados ressaltam que o checklist é de suma importância e contribui como uma barreira para prevenir possíveis erros de lateralidade do procedimento cirúrgico e de troca de paciente na sala operatória, além de assegurar a correta identificação do paciente no momento do preparo para ingressar no centro cirúrgico. Nos debates foi ressaltado que o grupo pesquisado conhece o instrumento para a realização do checklist da cirurgia segura, porém, refere ter dificuldades para o preenchimento do mesmo, principalmente devido à necessidade de agilizar o processo e encaminhar rapidamente o paciente à sala de cirurgia. Foi percebido que existem falhas no preenchimento do protocolo da cirurgia segura, em algumas situações o instrumento é preenchido antes de iniciar a cirurgia ou após o término da mesma. É fundamental envolver e comprometer as equipes médicas para a aplicação do checklist da cirurgia segura, além de (re) orientar e empoderar as equipes de enfermagem, a fim de seguir corretamente o protocolo da lista de verificação instituída, minimizando situações de desvalorização e ridicularização da rotina. A aplicação de maneira correta desse protocolo contribui para o reconhecimento assistencial das equipes na instituição. A natureza participativa do método de pesquisa fotográfico restaurativo oportunizou o engajamento dos profissionais do campo de estudo e possibilitou implementar muitas melhorias, a partir de sugestões e propostas dos mesmos. Outro aspecto que merece ser destacado, diz respeito ao duplo papel de pesquisador e gestor da instituição investigada, que permitiu traduzir os conhecimentos produzidos a partir do estudo em ações no cenário da prática assistencial, transformando-o em um ambiente mais seguro para o paciente. / The security concept was born with primitive man to fight daily to survive against attacks by predators. Over the years arose survival and safety parameters in almost all work activities. In the health and nursing area this theme has mobilized efforts of health organizations to avoid gaps in care processes that may cause adverse events to patients. This is an exploratory, descriptive research with a qualitative approach, in order to analyze the application of the safe surgery checklist in the operating room for patient safety. The study was conducted using the technique of focus groups and photographic research methods from the perspective of restorative ecological thinking, in the period between March and June 2014. The information was organized with the use of NVivo program 10 and subjected to analysis of thematic content, there were three categories: Checklist for patient safety: still a challenge, Reasons for non-adherence to the Safe Surgery Checklist, Steps Checklist. The results emphasize that the checklist is very important and contributes as a barrier to prevent possible errors laterality of the surgical procedure and patient exchange in the operating room, and ensure the correct identification of the patient while preparing to enter the operating room. In the discussions it was stressed that the group researched know the instrument for the achievement of the safe surgery checklist, however, concerns have trouble completing it, mainly because of the need to streamline the process and quickly refer the patient to the operating room. It was noticed that there are errors in the completion of the safe surgery protocol, in some situations the instrument is filled before starting surgery or after the same. It is essential to involve and engage the medical teams to the application of the safe surgery checklist, and (re) direct and empower the nursing staff in order to properly follow the established checklist protocol, minimizing devaluation situations and ridicule of routine. The application correctly this protocol contributes to the recognition of care teams in the institution. The participatory nature of the photographic restorative search method provided an opportunity to engage the professional field of study and made it possible to implement many improvements from suggestions and proposals from them. Another aspect that deserves to be highlighted concerns the dual role of researcher and manager of the investigated institution, which translated the knowledge produced from the study into shares in the care practice setting, turning it into a safer environment for the patient. / El concepto de seguridad nació con el hombre primitivo que luchar a diario para sobrevivir contra los ataques de los depredadores. Con los años surgieron parámetros de supervivencia y seguridad en casi todas las actividades de trabajo. En el área de la salud y de enfermería este tema ha movilizado esfuerzos de las organizaciones de salud para evitar lagunas en los procesos de atención que pueden causar efectos adversos a los pacientes. Se trata de una investigación exploratoria, descriptiva con enfoque cualitativo, con el fin de analizar la aplicación de la lista de verificación de la seguridad quirúrgica en el quirófano para la seguridad del paciente. El estudio se realizó mediante la técnica de grupos focales y los métodos de investigación fotográficos desde la perspectiva del pensamiento ecológico restaurativa, en el período comprendido entre marzo y junio de 2014. La información se organizó con el uso del programa NVivo 10 y se sometió a análisis de contenido temático, había tres categorías: Lista de verificación para la seguridad del paciente: sigue siendo un reto, Razones para la no adhesión a la Lista de verificación de cirugía segura, Pasos Lista de verificación. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que la lista es muy importante y contribuye como una barrera para evitar posibles errores de lateralidad del procedimiento y paciente intercambio quirúrgica en el quirófano, y garantizar la correcta identificación del paciente mientras se preparan para entrar en la sala de operaciones. En los debates se destacó que el grupo investigado conocen el instrumento para el logro de la lista de verificación cirugía segura, sin embargo, las preocupaciones tienen problemas para completarla, principalmente a causa de la necesidad de racionalizar el proceso y rápidamente derivar al paciente a la sala de operaciones. Se observó que hay errores en la finalización del protocolo de cirugía segura, en algunas situaciones el instrumento se llena antes de comenzar la cirugía o después de la misma. Es esencial involucrar y comprometer a los equipos médicos a la aplicación de la lista de verificación de la seguridad quirúrgica y (re) dirigir y capacitar al personal de enfermería con el fin de seguir correctamente el protocolo de lista de control establecido, minimizando situaciones de devaluación y el ridículo de rutina. La aplicación correcta de este protocolo contribuye al reconocimiento de los equipos de atención en la institución. El carácter participativo del método de búsqueda restaurador fotográfico proporcionado una oportunidad para entablar el campo profesional de estudio e hizo posible la implementación de muchas mejoras de sugerencias y propuestas de ellos. Otro aspecto que merece ser destacado se refiere a la doble función de investigador y director de la institución investigada, que tradujo el conocimiento producido a partir del estudio en acciones en el ámbito de la práctica de atención, convirtiéndola en un entorno más seguro para el paciente.

Este estudo qualiquantitativo teve por objetivo geral analisar a conformação da rede de serviços de saúde que fazem atenção à saúde da gestante em Uberaba-MG. Teve como suporte teórico as categorias rede, integralidade e poder. Foi realizado estudo de caso tomando por referência os serviços de atenção básica de um Distrito Sanitário, sendo os dados de fontes primárias obtidos por entrevistas semi-estruturadas de trabalhadores de unidades de saúde de diferentes níveis de densidade tecnológica e de gestantes, e realização de grupo de discussão com gestantes. As fontes secundárias foram representadas por documentos oficiais e informações de bancos de dados das três esferas de governo. Os dados quantitativos foram analisados considerando sua distribuição de freqüência, e o material empírico das entrevistas e do grupo de discussão foi submetido à análise temática. Na análise documental identificamos que a política de atenção à gestante tem acontecido principalmente pela indução do financiamento, ou pela necessidade de superação de situações emergenciais. Identificamos, entretanto, tentativas de articulação de serviços e de atores, trabalhadores e usuários nos distintos espaços de construção desta política. Os dados e as informações de bancos de dados municipais e nacionais apontam para baixa cobertura e qualificação da assistência pré-natal de baixo e alto risco, por deficiência de infra-estrutura e de profissionais qualificados para atenção básica e especializada, déficit de leitos obstétricos e de UTI. O impacto na atenção pode ser identificado a partir da alta freqüência de internações por complicação obstétrica e aborto, alta incidência de sífilis congênita e aumento mortalidade infantil, com óbitos concentrados no período perinatal. Do material empírico analisado a partir da análise temática emergiu o tema: O modelo operado na rede de serviços que fazem atenção à gestante no município, que foi recortado em quatro subtemas: oferta de ações de saúde e a atenção às necessidades das gestantes; o encontro entre o trabalhador de saúde e a gestante no processo de atenção; espaços de atenção à saúde como espaços de aprendizagem; gestão da rede-a relação entre os serviços de saúde que fazem atenção à gestante no município. A articulação e interpenetração destes subtemas revelam dificuldade de acesso da gestante aos serviços, organização e planejamento centrados na necessidade dos serviços e instituições de ensino, fragmentação da rede e dos processos de trabalho em cada um dos serviços, e relação conflituosa entre oferta de serviços e demanda das gestantes; dificuldade de articulação serviço-ensino para educação na saúde. Por outro lado, também identificamos alguns espaços aonde acontecem práticas mais comprometidas com a atenção integral à gestante, e abertura de linhas de fuga para garantir atendimento. / The objective of this quantitative and qualitative study was to analyze the structure and operation of the health services network for pregnant women in Uberaba - MG. The theoretical categories that support the study are: network, integrality and power. A case study was carried out, using as a reference a primary care service of one Sanitary District. The primary sources data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with health care unit workers of different technological densities and with pregnant patients, in discussion groups. Secondary sources data were obtained through official documents and data base of three governmental areas. The quantitative data were analyzed taking into account its frequency distribution, and the empirical material from the interviews and group discussions were submitted to a thematic analysis. In the documental analysis, we identified that care police for pregnant women has been guided by the financial availability or the prevailing of emergency needs. We identified, however, joint attempts of the services and health actors, health workers and users in constructing the police. The data and the information from municipal and national data base point to poor coverage and qualification of both low and high risk pre-natal care because of a deficiency in infrastructure and qualified care professionals, as well as a lack of obstetric and ICU beds. The health attention impact can be seen in the great number of internments for obstetric complications and abortion, the high incidence of congenital syphilis and a rise in infant mortality, with deaths concentrated in the peri-natal period. The thematic analysis of the empirical material provided a theme: The operating model in the attention service network for pregnant women in the municipal district, which was divided into four sub-themes: health actions offered and attention to the pregnant women needs; the health care worker and the pregnant woman meeting during the care process; health attention place as a learning place; network management-the relation among services that attend the pregnant women in the municipal district. The articulation and intersection of these sub-themes reveal access difficulty of the pregnant patient, organization and planning centered in the service and learning institutions needs, network and work process fragmentation in each of the services, conflict relationship between services offer and pregnant women demands and difficulty in service-learning institutions articulation for health education. On the other hand, we identified some more committed practices with an integral care of the pregnant women and the opening of escape routes from the system in order to guarantee care.

A demanda por procedimentos médicos gerados pela transformação dos perfis etários e de morbi-mortalidade das populações tem forçado uma escalada contínua dos custos da assistência que atingem limites críticos em relação à disponibilidade de recursos. É neste contexto onde a priorização é a regra e o desperdício inaceitável, que métodos de otimização vem sendo desenvolvidos, dentre eles o “Audit and feedback”. De um total de 176 médicos de uma regional de cooperativa, 130 constituíram a amostra para estudo Quase-experimento com total de dois anos de seguimento (2004- 2005). As informações tratavam do “Índice de Solicitações de Serviços Auxiliares de Diagnose e Terapia” (Is SADT) e eram fornecidas de modo que cada profissional sabia qual era a sua posição dentro do grupo da mesma especialidade, mas não tinha condições de identificar os demais. Apesar do número absoluto de SADT realizados ter sido no mínimo o quádruplo do esperado para a população de beneficiários, o retorno de informações visando à conscientização pelo método “Audit and Feedback” não foi capaz de provocar diferenças significas nas solicitações de procedimentos nos diferentes grupos de médicos, conforme constatado após análise estatística. Não se evidenciou nenhuma relação significativa das variáveis independentes deste estudo (sexo, tempo de formado e tempo de cooperado), com os Índices de Solicitações de SADT dos médicos que estavam acima ou abaixo da mediana nos diferentes estratos. Persiste como desafio, a comprovação do fator ou fatores responsáveis por esta resposta. Propõe-se um conjunto de ações a serem associadas, uma vez que o processo de conscientização isoladamente foi inócuo. / Changing age, morbidity and mortality profiles of populations have caused an increase in the demand for medical procedures and a continuous increase in the cost of health services that is reaching limits in terms of available resources. It is in the context of prioritization as the rule and waste as unacceptable that optimization methods have been developed, among them “audit and feedback”. Of a total of 176 physicians of a regional cooperative, 130 were included in the study sample. The procedure ordering behaviour of each physician in the sample was monitored during all of 2004 and 2005. Audit: each month the an “index of solicitations for auxiliary diagnostic and treatment services”, or SADT, basically the average number of orders per consultation for the month, was calculated for each physician. Feedback: SADT for all participating physicians, organized by speciality and rank, were sent to each participating physician. The results were presented in a way that each physician could locate themselves in the ranking without being able to identify where any other physicians placed in the ranking. Despite absolute number of SADT on average fourfold that expected for the demographic profile of the population being served, statistical analysis of the results showed that the “Audit and Feedback” optimization method did not have a significant effect on the ordering behaviour of physicians or in the sample, un-grouped or grouped by speciality, gender, time in practice or time in the cooperative. Nor did grouping according the whether and individual physician was initially above or below the median SADT reveal any significant effect of the method on ordering behaviour. The results do show that factors other than how a physician's individual SADT compares to that of his or her peers, determines their procedure ordering behaviour. Identifying these factors remains an important challenge in the context of health services optimization.

O conceito de segurança nasceu com o homem primitivo ao lutar diariamente para sobreviver contra os ataques de predadores. Com o passar dos anos foram surgindo parâmetros de sobrevivência e segurança em quase todas as atividades de trabalho. Na área de saúde e de enfermagem este tema tem mobilizado esforços das organizações de saúde no sentido de evitar falhas nos processos de cuidado que possam causar eventos adversos aos pacientes. Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória, descritiva, com abordagem qualitativa, com o objetivo de analisar a aplicação do checklist da cirurgia segura no centro cirúrgico para a segurança do paciente. O estudo foi conduzido utilizando-se a técnica de grupos focais e métodos fotográficos de pesquisa, na perspectiva do pensamento ecológico restaurativo, entre o período de março e junho de 2014. As informações foram organizadas com o recurso do programa NVivo 10 e submetidas à análise de conteúdo do tipo temática, surgiram três categorias: Checklist para a segurança do paciente: ainda um desafio, Motivos da não adesão ao checklist da Cirurgia Segura, Etapas do Checklist. Os resultados ressaltam que o checklist é de suma importância e contribui como uma barreira para prevenir possíveis erros de lateralidade do procedimento cirúrgico e de troca de paciente na sala operatória, além de assegurar a correta identificação do paciente no momento do preparo para ingressar no centro cirúrgico. Nos debates foi ressaltado que o grupo pesquisado conhece o instrumento para a realização do checklist da cirurgia segura, porém, refere ter dificuldades para o preenchimento do mesmo, principalmente devido à necessidade de agilizar o processo e encaminhar rapidamente o paciente à sala de cirurgia. Foi percebido que existem falhas no preenchimento do protocolo da cirurgia segura, em algumas situações o instrumento é preenchido antes de iniciar a cirurgia ou após o término da mesma. É fundamental envolver e comprometer as equipes médicas para a aplicação do checklist da cirurgia segura, além de (re) orientar e empoderar as equipes de enfermagem, a fim de seguir corretamente o protocolo da lista de verificação instituída, minimizando situações de desvalorização e ridicularização da rotina. A aplicação de maneira correta desse protocolo contribui para o reconhecimento assistencial das equipes na instituição. A natureza participativa do método de pesquisa fotográfico restaurativo oportunizou o engajamento dos profissionais do campo de estudo e possibilitou implementar muitas melhorias, a partir de sugestões e propostas dos mesmos. Outro aspecto que merece ser destacado, diz respeito ao duplo papel de pesquisador e gestor da instituição investigada, que permitiu traduzir os conhecimentos produzidos a partir do estudo em ações no cenário da prática assistencial, transformando-o em um ambiente mais seguro para o paciente. / The security concept was born with primitive man to fight daily to survive against attacks by predators. Over the years arose survival and safety parameters in almost all work activities. In the health and nursing area this theme has mobilized efforts of health organizations to avoid gaps in care processes that may cause adverse events to patients. This is an exploratory, descriptive research with a qualitative approach, in order to analyze the application of the safe surgery checklist in the operating room for patient safety. The study was conducted using the technique of focus groups and photographic research methods from the perspective of restorative ecological thinking, in the period between March and June 2014. The information was organized with the use of NVivo program 10 and subjected to analysis of thematic content, there were three categories: Checklist for patient safety: still a challenge, Reasons for non-adherence to the Safe Surgery Checklist, Steps Checklist. The results emphasize that the checklist is very important and contributes as a barrier to prevent possible errors laterality of the surgical procedure and patient exchange in the operating room, and ensure the correct identification of the patient while preparing to enter the operating room. In the discussions it was stressed that the group researched know the instrument for the achievement of the safe surgery checklist, however, concerns have trouble completing it, mainly because of the need to streamline the process and quickly refer the patient to the operating room. It was noticed that there are errors in the completion of the safe surgery protocol, in some situations the instrument is filled before starting surgery or after the same. It is essential to involve and engage the medical teams to the application of the safe surgery checklist, and (re) direct and empower the nursing staff in order to properly follow the established checklist protocol, minimizing devaluation situations and ridicule of routine. The application correctly this protocol contributes to the recognition of care teams in the institution. The participatory nature of the photographic restorative search method provided an opportunity to engage the professional field of study and made it possible to implement many improvements from suggestions and proposals from them. Another aspect that deserves to be highlighted concerns the dual role of researcher and manager of the investigated institution, which translated the knowledge produced from the study into shares in the care practice setting, turning it into a safer environment for the patient. / El concepto de seguridad nació con el hombre primitivo que luchar a diario para sobrevivir contra los ataques de los depredadores. Con los años surgieron parámetros de supervivencia y seguridad en casi todas las actividades de trabajo. En el área de la salud y de enfermería este tema ha movilizado esfuerzos de las organizaciones de salud para evitar lagunas en los procesos de atención que pueden causar efectos adversos a los pacientes. Se trata de una investigación exploratoria, descriptiva con enfoque cualitativo, con el fin de analizar la aplicación de la lista de verificación de la seguridad quirúrgica en el quirófano para la seguridad del paciente. El estudio se realizó mediante la técnica de grupos focales y los métodos de investigación fotográficos desde la perspectiva del pensamiento ecológico restaurativa, en el período comprendido entre marzo y junio de 2014. La información se organizó con el uso del programa NVivo 10 y se sometió a análisis de contenido temático, había tres categorías: Lista de verificación para la seguridad del paciente: sigue siendo un reto, Razones para la no adhesión a la Lista de verificación de cirugía segura, Pasos Lista de verificación. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que la lista es muy importante y contribuye como una barrera para evitar posibles errores de lateralidad del procedimiento y paciente intercambio quirúrgica en el quirófano, y garantizar la correcta identificación del paciente mientras se preparan para entrar en la sala de operaciones. En los debates se destacó que el grupo investigado conocen el instrumento para el logro de la lista de verificación cirugía segura, sin embargo, las preocupaciones tienen problemas para completarla, principalmente a causa de la necesidad de racionalizar el proceso y rápidamente derivar al paciente a la sala de operaciones. Se observó que hay errores en la finalización del protocolo de cirugía segura, en algunas situaciones el instrumento se llena antes de comenzar la cirugía o después de la misma. Es esencial involucrar y comprometer a los equipos médicos a la aplicación de la lista de verificación de la seguridad quirúrgica y (re) dirigir y capacitar al personal de enfermería con el fin de seguir correctamente el protocolo de lista de control establecido, minimizando situaciones de devaluación y el ridículo de rutina. La aplicación correcta de este protocolo contribuye al reconocimiento de los equipos de atención en la institución. El carácter participativo del método de búsqueda restaurador fotográfico proporcionado una oportunidad para entablar el campo profesional de estudio e hizo posible la implementación de muchas mejoras de sugerencias y propuestas de ellos. Otro aspecto que merece ser destacado se refiere a la doble función de investigador y director de la institución investigada, que tradujo el conocimiento producido a partir del estudio en acciones en el ámbito de la práctica de atención, convirtiéndola en un entorno más seguro para el paciente.