AimTo explore nurses' use of the WHO safety checklist in the perioperative setting BackgroundPromoting quality and safety in health care has received worldwide attention. The WHO surgical safety checklist (2009) is promoted in reducing postoperative morbidity and mortality. The checklist has been introduced in Irish perioperative settings. Method(s)A descriptive, qualitative approach was utilised. A purposeful sample of ten nurses participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. ResultsParticipants were committed to promoting safety in navigating challenges in introducing, complying and accepting the value of the WHO surgical safety checklist in concordance with best practice. Participants moved from task completion to embracing the checklist as an effective surgical safety checking tool. Challenges were identified around roles and responsibilities in overseeing the completion of the check list. Conclusion(s)Management of processes is critical when implementing any safety initiative. This paper highlights the complexity and challenges in implementing the WHO surgical safety checklist, contributing to global discussions around translating policy into practice. Implications for Nursing ManagementEffective implementation of a checklist requires a coordinated management approach in collaboration with team members. These approaches will support learning experiences contributing to a shared understanding of the change being implemented by all team members.