Examining distracting elements in team members working in the operating room

Objective: This study aimed to examine the distracting factors and their effects among operating room team members. Method: The descriptive study was conducted in the operating rooms of a university hospital and a training and research hospital. The population of the study consisted of operating room nurses, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and anesthesia technicians working in the operating rooms of these two institutions. The sample included 251 healthcare professionals who voluntarily participated in the study and provided written consent. Data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form and the Distractions in Surgery Index (DiSI). The data were analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 software program. Results: Healthcare professionals in the operating room team most frequently reported the primary distractions in the operating theater as "fatigue" (56.52%), "unavailable or malfunctioning equipment" (53.57%), and "ambient noise" (53.57%). Significant differences were found among professional groups regarding the reported frequency of distractions in the operating room, their contribution to errors, and their interference with achieving goals. Among the distractions contributing to errors and impeding team objectives, "unavailable or malfunctioning equipment" ranked first, followed by "fatigue" in second place, and "loss of concentration" in third. Conclusion: Among the distracting factors in the operating room, "fatigue" was the most frequently reported, while "unavailable/malfunctioning equipment" was identified as the most impactful in terms of contributing to errors and hindering task completion. It has been revealed that profession, education level, age, gender, professional experience and operating room experience make a significant difference in the reports of operating room team members regarding the frequency of distracting elements. Key words: Operating room, operating room nurse, anesthesiologist, surgeon, distracting factors.