Research Trends and Core Themes in Operating Room Patient Safety: A Scope-Based Keyword Network Analysis (2020-2024)

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Surgical Care

Background:

• Operating rooms are critical, high-risk environments demanding stringent patient safety measures.
• Limited comprehensive analyses exist on research trends and core topics in operating room safety.
• This study addresses the need for a structured overview of operating room patient safety research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze core keywords and network structures in operating room patient safety research.
• To identify key themes and research trends from 2020-2024.
• To provide evidence-based suggestions for future research and practice in surgical safety.

Main Methods:

• Scope-based keyword network analysis of studies published between 2020 and 2024.
• Data sourced from major academic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed).
• Utilized keyword frequency and network centrality measures (degree, closeness, betweenness).

Main Results:

• 'Patient safety', 'operating room', and 'nurse' identified as most frequent and central keywords.
• 'Safety culture', 'infection control', and 'checklist' highlight systematic safety management.
• Emerging themes include 'leadership', 'teamwork', 'AI', and 'telemedicine', indicating focus on collaboration and digital innovation.

Conclusions:

• Operating room patient safety research has a multidimensional structure involving patients, professionals, systems, culture, and education.
• Integrated and multidisciplinary approaches are essential for enhancing safety in surgical settings.
• Future research should explore technology-driven and patient-centered safety models.