Harassment and Bullying In the Operatve Theatre: An Evaluaton Based on an Anonymous Survey Conducted In France

Abstract

It is difcult to estimate the incidence of harassment in the operating theater, and such estimation was never performed for anesthesia. We had performed an anonymous national survey based on a questionnaire flled up by healthcare providers working in the operating theater. A cover letter was associated, explaining the goal of the survey and informing that participation in this survey was voluntary and anonymous. Before completion of the questionnaire; the responders were required to read the national legal defnition of the harassment. The ei¬Â€ects of gender and to be a nurse are confrmed by the multivariate analysis as an independent risk factor of harassment and bullying. If the same ratio was found on the side of anesthesia (i.e. nurse Vs. physician). It was reported that the anesthesiologists were signifcantly more represented in victims’group than the surgeons. We reported a low rate of sexual harassment. The consequences of harassment and bullying on the social, professional and personal life are not negligible. We could not fnd some dii¬Â€erent and specifc risk factor compared to the usual world of work, and particularly in the hospital world. However, these results confrm the need for preventive and curative measures.