The Influence of Age and Experience on Safety Climate Perceptions Among Healthcare Staff in Operating, Interventional...

Patient safety is a critical priority in high-risk environments like operating rooms, interventional radiology rooms, and hybrid operating rooms, where complex procedures and multidisciplinary teams are involved.

This study explores healthcare staff perceptions of safety climate across the operating, interventional, and hybrid operating rooms, aiming to identify areas for improvement to promote a safer, more collaborative environment.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a modified Swedish version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire - Operating Room. Participants included physicians, nurses, and nurse assistants from the Operating, Interventional Radiology, and Hybrid Operating Room at a Swedish university hospital. Differences in safety climate perceptions were analyzed across professional groups and based on demographics including age and length of experience.

Among 180 healthcare staff members (44.8% response rate), no significant differences in safety attitudes were found between professional groups or multidisciplinary teams. Significant differences were observed across age groups in the domains of teamwork climate (p = 0.035), job satisfaction (p = 0.015), and perception of management (p = 0.021). Differences were also found across experience groups for working conditions (p = 0.029), stress recognition (p = 0.041), and perception of management (p = 0.046). Qualitative analysis highlighted the importance of staff retention, effective communication, and continuous professional development in improving patient safety.

Safety climate perceptions vary significantly with age and experience rather than professional role. These findings highlight the importance of fostering inclusive team dynamics that integrate diverse experience levels and implementing targeted strategies focused on staff retention, communication, and education to strengthen the overall safety climate.