Aim: To compare the contents of the ENT SHO bag with the recommendations by ENT UK. To address any deficiencies in the bag and prevent it from recurring in the future. Method: Over 5 consecutive days, the night SHO would compare the contents of the ENT bag with a checklist based on ENT UK guidelines. This was repeated post-intervention. Results: The initial data collection showed that the bag was missing numerous items, ranging from tongue depressors to nasal catheters. It also contained bulky, unnecessary items such as Lahey forceps. The bag was replenished, unnecessary items removed, and a new checklist was introduced which the SHO had to complete every night shift. Any missing equipment was to be replaced at that time. PPE was added to the bag. The next round of data collection showed that the bag remained well stocked, with only minor equipment missing such as merocele packs and Sofradex drops. However, the bag contained alternatives such as Rapid Rhinos and Gentisone drops. Conclusions: The introduction of a checklist has ensured that the SHO bag remains well stocked. This improves the efficiency of on-calls as the SHO no longer has to repeatedly travel between A&E and ENT stores. This is also beneficial when dealing with emergencies as all the equipment is readily accessible. The addition of PPE was prudent as ENT is a high-risk speciality in the COVID pandemic. Currently the checklist is completed weekly, in order to reduce the workload for the SHO - something to re-audit in the future.
Comparing the contents of the on-call ENT sho bag at a busy district general hospital to ENT UK guidelines-a quality improvement project