Associations between technostress and safety attitudes among operating room healthcare professionals.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to examine the associations between different dimensions of technostress and patient safety attitudes among healthcare professionals working in operating room settings.

Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional, correlational design was used. Data were collected from nurses and physicians working in operating rooms using an introductory information form, the Technostress Creators Scale and the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire-Operating Room. Descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to examine associations and identify predictors within the regression model. Hierarchical regression analysis further demonstrated that technostress dimensions substantially increased the explanatory power of the model beyond demographic and professional variables.

Findings: Correlation analyses showed that techno-overload and techno-invasion were negatively associated with safety attitudes and their subdomains. In contrast, techno-complexity demonstrated a positive association with overall safety attitudes. In the multivariable regression model, techno-complexity emerged as the strongest predictor within the model, while techno-overload, technology-related stress experienced during surgery and operating room experience were also significantly associated with safety attitudes. Techno-invasion did not remain a significant predictor after controlling for other variables.

Originality/value: The findings suggest that technostress dimensions are differentially associated with patient safety attitudes in operating room environments. Workload-related technostressors were associated with less favorable safety attitudes, whereas techno-complexity showed a more nuanced pattern that should be interpreted cautiously. Given the cross-sectional and self-reported nature of the data, the results should not be construed as causal. Nevertheless, the study contributes to the growing literature on technostress and safety culture by offering insights into human-technology interaction in technology-intensive perioperative settings.