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

Background: Operating rooms are high-risk environments where ensuring patient safety is essential. Although research on patient safety has increased in recent years, comprehensive analyses of research trends and the core topics specific to operating room safety remain limited. This study aimed to analyze the core keywords and network structures in operating room patient safety, using a scope-based approach to provide suggestions for future research and practice. Methods: We conducted a scope-based keyword network analysis of studies on operating room patient safety published between 2020 and 2024. Data were collected from major academic databases, including CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PubMed. Keyword frequency and network centrality measures (degree, closeness, and betweenness) were used to identify major keywords and their interrelationships. Results: The analysis revealed 'patient safety', 'operating room', and 'nurse' as the most frequent and central keywords, highlighting their critical role in surgical safety research. Other highly connected terms-'safety culture', 'infection control', and 'checklist' emphasized systematic and organizational safety management. Emerging themes such as 'leadership', 'teamwork', 'competency', and 'education' reflected increasing attention to collaboration and professional capability, while 'artificial intelligence' and 'telemedicine' indicated growing interest in digital innovation. Conclusions: Research on patient safety in operating rooms demonstrates a multidimensional structure encompassing patients, healthcare professionals, systems, culture, and education. These findings underscore the need for integrated and multidisciplinary approaches to enhance safety in surgical environments and suggest directions for technology-driven and patient-centered safety models.