Operating Room Culture and Interprofessional Relations: Impact on Nurse's Retention

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Nurse retention is a critical issue in healthcare.
• Operating room (OR) culture presents unique challenges to staff retention.
• Understanding factors influencing nurse retention is essential for workforce stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe interprofessional relations within the OR setting.
• To understand the impact of these relations on nurse retention.
• To explore the specific context of OR culture on retention.

Main Methods:

• Focused ethnography conducted at a Canadian university hospital.
• Secondary analysis of 11 nurses' interviews.
• Data collection included observations, informal conversations, and field notes, followed by thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Interprofessional relations and the need for recognition significantly impact nurse retention.
• Nurse personality is an important factor in the complex OR environment.
• Nurse retention in the OR is multifactorial.

Conclusions:

• Improving interprofessional working relationships and nurse recognition are crucial for retention.
• Considering nurse personality during the hiring process may enhance OR nurse retention.
• Interventions targeting these factors offer promising strategies for improving OR nurse retention.