Non-technical skills in surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: An observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Non-technical skills are critical to surgical safety. We examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on non-technical skills of operating room (OR) teams in Singapore.

Materials and methods

Observers rated live operations using the Oxford NOTECHS system. Pre- and post-COVID observations were captured from November 2019 to January 2020 and from January 2021 to February 2021, respectively. Scores were compared using Schuirmann's Two One-Sided Test procedure. Multivariable linear regression was used to adjust for case mix. A 10% margin of equivalence was set a priori.

Results

Observers rated 159 cases: 75 pre-COVID and 84 post-COVID. There were significant differences between groups in surgical department and surgeon-reported case complexity (both P < 0.001).

SUBMITTER: Etheridge JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8730762 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature