Operating theater culture: implications for nurse retention

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology
• Surgical Nursing

Background:

• Operating theater (OT) environments face unique staffing challenges.
• These challenges stem from specialized work conditions, training needs, and occupational culture.
• Such factors can exacerbate nursing shortages in surgical specialties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the organizational culture within an operating theater department.
• To investigate how this culture is communicated and maintained among staff.
• To understand the influence of culture on staff retention and role assimilation.

Main Methods:

• A mini-ethnography approach was employed.
• Data was collected in an eight-theater department in Queensland, Australia.
• Informants included nurses, orderlies, surgeons, and anesthetists.

Main Results:

• Three cultural themes emerged: primacy of knowledge/competence, social order, and situational control.
• Staff assimilation into OT roles is contingent on knowledge and experience.
• Cultural acceptance significantly influences staff willingness to remain in the operating theater.

Conclusions:

• Operating theater culture plays a critical role in staff retention.
• Understanding and managing OT culture is essential for mitigating nursing shortages.
• Addressing cultural factors can improve job satisfaction and commitment in surgical teams.