Operating room nurses' perceptions of the impact of surgical smoke and its countermeasures: A mixed-methods study

Abstract

Although surgical team members are exposed to surgical smoke, most do not fully recognize the hazards of such exposure during surgery. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of surgical smoke and its countermeasures in the operating room, specifically among nurses who have been exposed to surgical smoke for a long time. This was a mixed-methods study involving focus groups and a descriptive survey. The focus group revealed that nurses believed harmful substances accumulating in the body were proportional to the years worked, and many were unaware of the existent hazards in their work environment. They encouraged the formulation of self-protection measures and perceived that the recognition of rules and collaboration should take precedence among potential countermeasures. Our survey showed that properly wearing personal protective equipment and being educated on surgical smoke hazards were identified as essential coping methods for nurses. These findings will help create awareness regarding surgical smoke hazards in operating rooms. Policies and systems need to be established at the hospital administration level to substantially reduce the risks associated with surgical smoke for operating room nurses.