Disagreement and aggression in the operating theatre

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Surgical Team Dynamics
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Operating departments are considered exemplars of healthcare teamwork.
• However, international concerns exist regarding interprofessional conflict and aggression within these critical settings.
• This contrasts with theoretical ideals of excellent teamwork.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the national prevalence of disagreements within and between professional groups in operating departments.
• To assess the frequency of perceived aggressive behavior among operating department personnel.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was distributed to a random sample of 62 National Health Service operating departments in England in 2002.
• A response rate of 59.6% was achieved, with 37 departments returning usable surveys.
• A total of 391 individual responses were collected from nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists, and operating department practitioners.

Main Results:

• Over half of respondents (53.4%) reported experiencing aggressive behavior from consultant surgeons.
• Daily disagreements concerning operating list management between nurses and consultants were frequently reported.
• A perceived lack of role clarity and shared patient care goals among professional groups was also noted across all geographical locations.

Conclusions:

• The complex nature of interprofessional working in operating theatres requires further research.
• Conceptualizing these dynamics is essential before developing strategies for a less stressful and more efficient work environment.