The surgical time-out: the relationship between perceptions of a safety-task anchor and surgical team workflow
Abstract Background The surgical time-out is a critical safety measure used in the operating room (OR). We examined the mediating relationship of the length of the time-out between team perceived usefulness of the time-out, and the rate at which the circulating nurse left the OR to retrieve instrume...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-02-01
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| Series: | BMC Surgery |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-025-02789-w |
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| author | Vivian J. Zagarese Ivan Hernandez Neil M. A. Hauenstein Roseanne J. Foti Sarah H. Parker |
| author_facet | Vivian J. Zagarese Ivan Hernandez Neil M. A. Hauenstein Roseanne J. Foti Sarah H. Parker |
| author_sort | Vivian J. Zagarese |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The surgical time-out is a critical safety measure used in the operating room (OR). We examined the mediating relationship of the length of the time-out between team perceived usefulness of the time-out, and the rate at which the circulating nurse left the OR to retrieve instruments. Methods 60 cardiac surgical teams were observed performing their work. The length of the time-out and the rate at which the circulating nurse left the OR was obtained by observation of the surgical team. We administered a survey with a 7-point Likert scale to assess the surgical staff’s perceived usefulness of the time-out at the end of the surgery. An analysis was conducted to test if length of the time-out mediated the relationship between perceived usefulness of the time-out and rate at which the nurse leaves the OR to retrieve an instrument useful for the surgery. Results The relationship of the length of the time-out with the rate at which the nurse leaves the OR was non-significant (β = 0.089, p = .496). However, the relationship between perceived usefulness of the time-out with the length of the time-out was significant (β = 0.346, p < .05) and the effect between perceived usefulness of the time-out and the rate at which the nurse left the OR was statistically significant (β= − 0.424, p = < 0.001). Conclusion In this study we explore how surgical teams’ attitudes towards the usefulness of the time-out affect its utilization, and how attitudes about time-outs are related to the important process measure of rate at which the circulating nurse leaves the OR. The full mediation model was not supported by the data; however, there appears to be a relationship between the perceived usefulness of the time-out and the rate at which the circulating nurse leaves the OR. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-58d861326ed34c6d840c70063300e5e7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2482 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Surgery |
| spelling | doaj-art-58d861326ed34c6d840c70063300e5e72025-02-09T12:09:10ZengBMCBMC Surgery1471-24822025-02-0125111010.1186/s12893-025-02789-wThe surgical time-out: the relationship between perceptions of a safety-task anchor and surgical team workflowVivian J. Zagarese0Ivan Hernandez1Neil M. A. Hauenstein2Roseanne J. Foti3Sarah H. Parker4Department of Psychology, Virginia TechDepartment of Psychology, Virginia TechDepartment of Psychology, Virginia TechDepartment of Psychology, Virginia TechDepartment of Psychology, Virginia TechAbstract Background The surgical time-out is a critical safety measure used in the operating room (OR). We examined the mediating relationship of the length of the time-out between team perceived usefulness of the time-out, and the rate at which the circulating nurse left the OR to retrieve instruments. Methods 60 cardiac surgical teams were observed performing their work. The length of the time-out and the rate at which the circulating nurse left the OR was obtained by observation of the surgical team. We administered a survey with a 7-point Likert scale to assess the surgical staff’s perceived usefulness of the time-out at the end of the surgery. An analysis was conducted to test if length of the time-out mediated the relationship between perceived usefulness of the time-out and rate at which the nurse leaves the OR to retrieve an instrument useful for the surgery. Results The relationship of the length of the time-out with the rate at which the nurse leaves the OR was non-significant (β = 0.089, p = .496). However, the relationship between perceived usefulness of the time-out with the length of the time-out was significant (β = 0.346, p < .05) and the effect between perceived usefulness of the time-out and the rate at which the nurse left the OR was statistically significant (β= − 0.424, p = < 0.001). Conclusion In this study we explore how surgical teams’ attitudes towards the usefulness of the time-out affect its utilization, and how attitudes about time-outs are related to the important process measure of rate at which the circulating nurse leaves the OR. The full mediation model was not supported by the data; however, there appears to be a relationship between the perceived usefulness of the time-out and the rate at which the circulating nurse leaves the OR.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-025-02789-wTime-outSurgeryWorkflowTeamsTeamwork |
| spellingShingle | Vivian J. Zagarese Ivan Hernandez Neil M. A. Hauenstein Roseanne J. Foti Sarah H. Parker The surgical time-out: the relationship between perceptions of a safety-task anchor and surgical team workflow BMC Surgery Time-out Surgery Workflow Teams Teamwork |
| title | The surgical time-out: the relationship between perceptions of a safety-task anchor and surgical team workflow |
| title_full | The surgical time-out: the relationship between perceptions of a safety-task anchor and surgical team workflow |
| title_fullStr | The surgical time-out: the relationship between perceptions of a safety-task anchor and surgical team workflow |
| title_full_unstemmed | The surgical time-out: the relationship between perceptions of a safety-task anchor and surgical team workflow |
| title_short | The surgical time-out: the relationship between perceptions of a safety-task anchor and surgical team workflow |
| title_sort | surgical time out the relationship between perceptions of a safety task anchor and surgical team workflow |
| topic | Time-out Surgery Workflow Teams Teamwork |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-025-02789-w |
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