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

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Surgical Safety
• Infection Control

Background:

• Operating room (OR) traffic, including door openings and personnel movement, is a critical factor in maintaining a sterile environment.
• Frequent OR door openings can compromise air quality and increase the risk of surgical-site infections (SSIs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the frequency of operating room door openings during cardiovascular surgery.
• To determine the number of personnel entering and exiting the operating room.
• To identify the primary reasons for entries and exits during these procedures.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive observational study was conducted in a university hospital's cardiovascular surgery operating rooms.
• Data were collected using an "Intraoperative Observation Form" during 22 consecutive surgeries.
• Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the collected data.

Main Results:

• The mean number of door openings per cardiovascular surgery procedure was 74.18 (±41.54), equating to 16.92 (±7.33) openings per hour.
• Support staff (27.8%), nurses (24.7%), and perfusionists/others (18.9%) were the most frequent door openers.
• Equipment retrieval (27.2%) was the leading reason for entry, with 20.3% of entries unrelated to the ongoing surgery.

Conclusions:

• High operating room traffic, evidenced by frequent door openings and personnel movement, may negatively impact air quality and increase SSI risk.
• Recommendations include educational initiatives, enhanced equipment planning, and institutional policies to minimize unnecessary traffic.
• Reducing OR door openings and personnel movement is crucial for maintaining a sterile surgical field and improving patient outcomes.