sidered a hazard to health," according to "Noise in
the Operating Room" (osmag.net/Dg7BhH), a
study in the October 2014 issue of
Anesthesiology. Those researchers suggested
keeping irrelevant conversation to a mini-
mum, using plastic bowls and trays
instead of metal ones, installing sound
insulation, and using materials in
floors, walls and ceilings that don't
reflect sound.
6. Mental stress. Usually when we
think of "comfort in the OR," we think of
the physical aspects. But mental comfort
is also important. The pressure of per-
forming a perfect procedure, the interper-
sonal relationships among the surgical
team, personal matters that are weighing
on staffers' minds, job satisfaction … all of
these and more can make surgical staffers
cranky at the very least. Burnout and
depression among surgeons is a widely
documented phenomenon as well.
To manage minds and emotions in these charged environments,
encourage brief breaks during a shift. Yes, time is money, as we all
know, and many facilities and surgeons are trying to handle as many
procedures as they can during the day. But you also need to think of
the long game, particularly the health and well-being of your most
valuable assets — your surgeons — as well as other valuable surgical
staff, and ultimately the many patients who lay on your operating
1 0 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A Y 2 0 1 9
• BEAT THE HEAT Cooling vests like the
CoolSource Cooling System, which an OR nurse
invented, let your surgeons and staff stay more
comfortable and focused.
