Attitudes Toward Safety and Teamwork: Benchmarking Australian Surgeons and Nurses

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Operating room safety is critical for patient outcomes.
• Understanding healthcare professionals' safety attitudes is essential for improving practices.
• Previous research has explored safety attitudes in various healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a baseline of general safety attitudes among Australian operating room surgeons and nurses.
• To compare the safety attitudes between surgeons and nurses in Australian operating rooms.

Main Methods:

• A modified Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (Operating Room version) was used.
• An online survey was distributed to operating room personnel across Australia.
• Data were collected from 261 surgeons and registered nurses.

Main Results:

• Participants reported above-average safety focus, with more positive attitudes than in previous studies.
• Teamwork Climate and Job Satisfaction received the most positive ratings.
• Perceptions of Management and Work Conditions received the least positive ratings.
• Surgeons generally reported more positive safety attitudes than nurses, except for stress recognition.

Conclusions:

• This study provides a crucial baseline for evaluating future safety interventions in Australian operating rooms.
• Occupational differences in safety attitudes necessitate tailored interventions for surgeons and nurses.
• Interventions should be designed to address the specific needs and perceptions of each professional group.