The Effects of Flow Disruptions on RN Circulators

The RN circulator role includes maintaining situational awareness and mitigating risks to patient safety in the OR. Flow disruptions-deviations that threaten the safe and efficient flow of surgery-may contribute to the occurrence of errors and negatively affect safety for patients and health care providers. We used an existing data set to explore the effects of flow disruptions on the RN circulator. To create the data set, doctoral-level human factors students observed 24 cardiac surgery procedures and recorded the types and durations of disruptions. We used a human factors taxonomy to classify the flow disruptions. Of the 1,470 events observed, interruptions were most prevalent (66.67%), followed by coordination issues (15.37%) and communication breakdowns (8.37%). Layout (7.21%), equipment (1.77%), and usability (0.61%) issues accounted for the remainder of the disruptions. Perioperative leaders should work with staff members to minimize workflow disruptions and provide support for identifying and documenting flow disruptions.