Governing time in operating rooms

Abstract

AIM: This paper examines how time is controlled and governed in operating rooms through interpersonal communication between nurses and doctors. BACKGROUND: Time is a valuable commodity in organizations with improvements often directed towards maximizing efficiencies. As a consequence, time can be a source of tension and interpersonal conflict as individuals compete for control of its use. METHODS: The data in this paper emanate from an ethnographic study that explored a range of communication practices in operating room nursing. Participants comprised 11 operating room nurses. Data were collected over two years in three different institutional settings and involved participant observation, i..