Attitude, preventive practice and perceived barriers among perioperative and anesthesia nurses toward surgical smoke hazards during the COVID-19 outbreak

Mojgan Lotfi; Zahra Sheikhalipour; Vahid Zamanzadeh; Ahmadmirza Aghazadeh; Hassan Khordeforoush; Parvin Rahmani; Omid Zadi Akhuleh

doi:10.1016/j.pcorm.2021.100234

Attitude, preventive practice and perceived barriers among perioperative and anesthesia nurses toward surgical smoke hazards during the COVID-19 outbreak

Perioper Care Oper Room Manag. 2022 Mar:26:100234. doi: 10.1016/j.pcorm.2021.100234. Epub 2021 Dec 15.

Authors

Mojgan Lotfi¹, Zahra Sheikhalipour¹, Vahid Zamanzadeh¹, Ahmadmirza Aghazadeh², Hassan Khordeforoush³, Parvin Rahmani⁴, Omid Zadi Akhuleh⁵

Affiliations

¹ Nursing and midwifery faculty. Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran.
² Department of Basic sciences, Paramedical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
³ Imam Reza Medical Research & Training Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
⁴ Medical and Surgical department. Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
⁵ Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing & Operating Room, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Surgical smoke (SS), which is produced by the use of high-temperature devices for cutting and coagulation of tissue during surgical procedures, is considered a serious threat to the health of operating room (OR) staff due to the presence of hazardous substances and possibility of transmitting various infections such as HPV, HIV, COVID-19 and so on. This study was conducted to determine the Attitude, preventive practice and perceived barriers among perioperative and anesthesia nurses toward surgical smoke hazards.

Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, conducted at hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Iran) in 2021, 262 perioperative and anesthesia nurses were included by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and an SS questionnaire consisting of questions on attitude (17 item), practice (8 item), and barriers (13 item). Collected data were analyzed using SPSS16.

Results: The mean attitude and preventive practice scores (49.52 ± 12.36 and 15.8 ± 2.05, respectively) of the operating room nurses were reported at moderate and weak levels, respectively. There was a direct and significant relationship between attitude and practice scores (r = 0.129, P = 0.019). The main barriers to the prevention and dealing with the hazards of SS in ORs were reported in management (3.68 ± 1.06) and equipment (3.24 ± 0.66) dimensions, respectively.

Conclusion: It is recommended to adopt strategies to improve the attitude of OR staff regarding the preventive measures against surgical smoke hazards. Moreover, appropriate equipment and support of managers should be provided by explaining the policies and guidelines to prevent the complications of surgical smoke.

Keywords: Infection prevention; Nurse; Occupational health; Operating room; Surgical smoke.