'Can you hear me?' barriers to and facilitators of communication in the presence of noise in the operating room

Abstract

Aim The aim of this study was to explore health professionals’ perceptions of the impact of noise on communication in the operating room. Sample and setting Health professionals working in the operating room at a tertiary, affiliated, major referral hospital in northern Australia were recruited using purposive sampling. Method Semi-structured interviews were undertaken using an exploratory qualitative design to explore health professionals’ perceptions of communication and the impact of noise in the operating room. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Results In all, 26 health professionals participated, including anaesthetists, surgeons, nurses and thea..