ABSTRACT
Objective
To analyze the surgical count process according to reports of nurses working in surgical centers of a city in the state of São Paulo.
Methods
Cross-sectional study with a sample of 55 nurses. Data collection occurred from August to December 2013, with application of an instrument submitted to face and content validation, composed of data on variables regarding characteristics of nurses, hospital, and surgical count process.
Results
Fifty-two (94.5%) nurses reported that the surgical count process was carried out in their workplaces. A statistically significant association was found between the surgical count process and the type of institution (P=0.046), and between the presence of a surgical technologist and the processes for counting surgical instruments (P<0.001) and sponges (P=0.016).
Conclusion
The results found contributed to understand how, by whom, and when the surgical count process was carried out in the studied hospital.
Perioperative nursing; Patient safety; Nursing research