Operating room built environment and One’s role in the OR impacts perceptions of resilience

Within the healthcare field, burnout is a significant concern leading to staff turnover, reduced productivity, diminished patient satisfaction, and increased incidence of medical errors. Resilient healthcare systems can be used to address burnout. This study explored individual resilience, team resilience, teamwork and communication, and well-being among staff who worked in three operating rooms (ORs) at different levels of modernity. Using a mixed-methods approach that utilized surveys and focus groups, this study examined how teams from different operating rooms rated their levels of resilience and well-being. Additionally, this study explored how staff in different roles (i.e., CRNA, nurse, physician, etc.) experienced these concepts. Our findings emphasized the pivotal role played by the OR space in individuals’ experience of resilience, communication, and well-being. This study also revealed the negative impact of working within more than one team on individual and team performance. Additionally, regardless of the built environment, this study highlighted the differing experiences of different roles within an OR environment. These results can aid in design of future OR spaces and staffing considerations to optimize patient care and healthcare professionals’ quality of life.