Surgeons' Attitudes to Teamwork and Safety

Abstract

Attitudes towards human and organizational factors can have an impact on effective team performance and consequently on patient safety. The Operating Room Management Attitudes Questionnaire (ORMAQ) measures attitudes to leadership, communication, teamwork, stress and fatigue, work values, and organizational climate. Data were collected from 231 consultant and trainee surgeons, and 121 surgical nurses from 17 Scottish Hospitals using a customized version of the ORMAQ. The respondents generally demonstrated positive attitudes to teamwork, leadership and safety and were similar to those reported in previous ORMAQ surveys of anaesthetists in Scotland and of surgeons in other countries. However, consultant and trainee surgeons differed in their attitudes to briefings, critical situations, and competence acknowledgement.