Attitude toward perioperative safety among operation room clinicians at Ethiopian University Hospital

Patient safety is a fundamental of good quality and also a high priority for the health-care system. Maintaining patient safety reduces errors and harm that patients can suffer during health care. The operating room clinicians have a vital role in ensuring patient safety. The general objective of this study was to assess attitudes towards perioperative safety and associated factors among the operation room clinicians at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (UoGCSH), Northwest Ethiopia, 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted on operation room clinicians at UoGCSH. The data were collected by using a self-administered structured questionnaire that included the Safety Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ). Binary logistic regression analysis was employed, and the strength of association was described in adjusted odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 260 (76% response rate) operation room clinicians have participated in this study. The mean ± SD of attitude toward perioperative safety was 57.8 ± 0.9. Only 32 (12.3%) operation room clinicians have shown a favorable attitude toward perioperative safety. Most of the clinicians were found to have unfavorable attitudes toward all domains of SAQ except the stress recognition domain. Age >30 years [adjusted odds ratios (AOR): 3.1, CI: 1.1, 8.7, P = .035], working for ≥40 h/week (AOR: 3.9, CI: 1.4, 11.1, P = .01), working in ophthalmologic (AOR: 12.0, CI: 3.8, 38.8, P < .001) and gynecologic (AOR: 3.6, CI: 1.1, 12.7, P = .04) operation rooms, and having training on perioperative safety (AOR: 2.6, CI: 1.1, 6.5, P < .03) were found associated with having favorable attitude toward perioperative safety. Most operation room clinicians had an unfavorable attitude toward perioperative safety and all the domains of SAQ except the stress recognition domain. Older age  ≥ 30 years, working for ≥40 h/week, having safety-related training, and working in ophthalmologic and gynecologic operation rooms were found associated with having a favorable attitude toward perioperative safety.