A key member of the team of practitioners who must co-ordinate during surgery is the scrub practitioner. The scrub practitioner works directly with the surgeon(s) during an operation and is responsible for several key tasks including: preparation of instruments and sterile supplies, providing assistance during the procedure and performing the swab / instrument count at the end of the operation. As a key member of personnel the scrub practitioner must be technically competent and utilise a range of non-technical skills.

The aim of the SPLINTS project was to identify the critical non-technical skills for scrub practitioners, develop a behavioural marker system and evaluate the utility of that system and associated training. To read more about the research conducted please click on the links provided below. If you wish to discuss the research further, or would like a copy of the SPLINTS handbook please contact Prof Rhona Flin.