STOP: Can We Minimize OR Traffic?

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Quality Improvement
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Concerns regarding high operating room (OR) traffic were raised by perioperative nurses.
• A multidisciplinary workgroup was formed to address these concerns through a quality improvement (QI) project.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the amount of OR traffic during surgical procedures.
• To identify the primary sources and reasons for OR traffic.
• To evaluate the impact of interventions aimed at reducing traffic.

Main Methods:

• A QI project was initiated involving perioperative nurses, educators, and leaders.
• A check sheet was developed to record door swings, staff classifications, reasons for door openings, and occupancy at 15-minute intervals.
• Baseline and follow-up observations were conducted to assess traffic patterns and intervention effectiveness.

Main Results:

• Baseline data indicated average door swings ranging from 33 per hour (general surgery) to 54 per hour (cardiac surgery).
• Nurses constituted the majority of OR traffic, with supply retrieval being the most common reason.
• Post-intervention, general surgery door swings increased to 41 per hour, but nurse traffic specifically for supply retrieval decreased.

Conclusions:

• Monitoring and limiting OR traffic, especially nurse-initiated supply runs, is crucial.
• Interventions can effectively reduce specific types of traffic within the OR.
• Reducing OR traffic has the potential to positively impact patient safety and outcomes.