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Noise in the Operating Room Distracts Members of the Surgical Team. An Observational Study

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Abstract

Background

Noise pollution in operation rooms may distract the surgical team members. In particular during phases of high task complexity, noise can jeopardize concentration. Phases of high complexity are related to task specificities and may thus be different for different members of the surgical team.

Study design

Noise exposure was measured during 110 open abdominal surgeries. Distinguishing three phases (opening, main phase, and closing), noise was related to self-report of distraction levels by main and secondary surgeons, scrub nurses and anesthetists.

Results

Noise pollution was higher than recommended levels for concentrated work. Adjusted for duration, surgical type, and difficulty of the surgery, results showed that second surgeons are more likely distracted when noise pollution was high in the main phase; and anesthetists are more likely distracted when noise pollution was high during the closing phase. Main surgeons’ and scrub nurses’ concentration was not impaired by measured noise levels.

Conclusions

In phases with higher concentration demands, noise pollution was particularly distracting for second surgeons and anesthetist, corresponding to their specific task demands (anesthetists) and experience (second surgeons). Reducing noise levels particularly in the main and closing phase of the surgery may reduce concentration impairments.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. Anita Kurmann, a scientific advisor for this study, deceased August 7, 2015. We thank Julia Seelandt for her help in organization of data collection and data collection; Anna Püschel, Moana Monnier and Nadja Jenni for their contribution to data collection; Uwe Klopsch (technician) and Brigitte Dubach (head nurse) for their technical and organizational support.

Funding

This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation [grant # CR13I1_138273 and CR13I3_156882].

Author information

Author notes

  1. Sandra Keller and Franziska Tschan have equally contributed to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

    Sandra Keller, Franziska Tschan & Eliane Holzer

  2. Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Norbert K. Semmer

  3. Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Daniel Candinas & Guido Beldi

  4. Federal Office for the Environment, Ittigen, Switzerland

    Mark Brink

Authors
  1. Sandra Keller
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  2. Franziska Tschan
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  3. Norbert K. Semmer
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  4. Eliane Holzer
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  5. Daniel Candinas
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  6. Mark Brink
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  7. Guido Beldi
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Sandra Keller or Franziska Tschan.

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Keller, S., Tschan, F., Semmer, N.K. et al. Noise in the Operating Room Distracts Members of the Surgical Team. An Observational Study. World J Surg 42, 3880–3887 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-018-4730-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-018-4730-7

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