Factors underlying registered nurse interactions in a multicultural tertiary healthcare perioperative area

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Disruptive behaviour among health care providers in high stress areas such as theperioperative setting has been linked to negative patient safety. Conflicts of power, role andpersonality lead to communication failure, which are identified as the leading root cause ofmedication errors and wrong site surgery.The aim of the study was to explore and describe the factors underlying registered nurse(RN) interactions in a tertiary healthcare perioperative area.A non-experimental, descriptive, exploratory study with self-administered survey using aquantitative approach was used. The total population of N=52 participants working in theperioperative area of a Middle Eastern tertiary healthcare centre were invited to participate inthe study and the response rate was n=44, 85%. A structured self-administeredquestionnaire was used to collect the data. Reliability and validity was assured by means ofa pilot study and consultation with nursing experts and a statistician.The Health Research Ethics Committee of the University of Stellenbosch approved thestudy. Permission for the study to be done in the tertiary care centre was obtained from theInternal Ethical Review Board and the Nursing Executive. Informed written consent wasobtained from the participants. Anonymity and confidentiality was respected.The data was analysed with the assistance of a statistician and presented in frequencies,tables and histograms. The responses were compared using Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Spearman's Rank correlation, on a 95% confidence level. Only onefactor showed a significant result, following Spearman's Rank correlation that an associationexists between work experience and lateral violence (p≤0.045239). The open-endedquestions were categorized into themes and respect and communication emerged as factorsnecessary in teamwork and task managementThe level of respect and open communication between RNs were seen as important factorsfor interacting with colleagues in the workplace and if poor, affects team work. An area ofconcern was the high number of neutral responses to the statements on morale and conflict.Underpinned by the literature and the outcomes of this study, it is recommended that strongleadership is required to implement regular team building activities. Furthermore,perioperative staff should be monitored for emotional fatigue which results from conflictsituations in order to avert adverse patient care events.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University