Operating Room Traffic, Door Opening and Closing: A Clinical Observational Study

The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of opening of operating room doors during cardiovascular surgery operations, the number of personnel entering and exiting, and the reasons for these entries.

This descriptive observational study was carried out in the cardiovascular surgery operating rooms of a university hospital. Using purposive sampling, 22 consecutive surgeries were observed, and data were collected with an "Intraoperative Observation Form." Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.

The mean number of door openings per procedure was 74.18±41.54, corresponding to 16.92±7.33 openings per hour. Individuals opening the doors were support staff (27.8%), nurses (24.7%), perfusionists/others (18.9%), surgeons (15.6%), and anesthesiologists/anesthesia technicians (13.1%). The leading reason for entry was equipment retrieval (27.2%). Notably, 20.3% of entries were unrelated to the ongoing surgery.

Operating-room traffic is characterized by frequent door openings and substantial personnel movement, conditions that may degrade air quality and heighten the risk of surgical-site infection. Educational initiatives, improved equipment planning, and institutional policy development are recommended to reduce unnecessary traffic.