Anesthesia, General, Consciousness, Intraoperative Awareness
Conditions
Keywords
Anesthesia, General, Intraoperative Awareness, Consciousness, Health Personnel, Operating Rooms
Brief summary
This observational, questionnaire-based study aims to evaluate health professionals' perceptions regarding the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative conversations on patients. Although intraoperative awareness is rare, neuroscientific evidence suggests that unconscious perception of auditory stimuli under anesthesia may influence postoperative psychological outcomes. An anonymous 19-item online survey will be distributed to anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses across Turkey. Data will be collected via Google Forms, with voluntary participation and informed consent. Statistical analysis will include descriptive and comparative methods to assess differences across professional groups and experience levels.
Detailed description
Intraoperative awareness refers to conscious or subconscious perception during general anesthesia. Although its clinical incidence is rare, previous studies using EEG, fMRI, and neurocognitive methods have shown that auditory stimuli presented during anesthesia can leave subconscious traces and may influence postoperative psychological well-being, trust in healthcare, and anxiety levels.This study aims to explore health professionals' knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative conversations. The research is designed as a multicenter, observational, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study. A 19-item anonymous online survey will be distributed through professional networks, social media, and institutional mailing lists. Target participants include anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses actively working in operating rooms across Turkey. The primary objective is to evaluate the awareness level of healthcare professionals on the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative speech. Secondary objectives include identifying differences between professional groups, years of experience, and demographic factors. No intervention or treatment is involved, and no patient participation is required. Participation is voluntary and anonymous, with informed consent obtained at the beginning of the online survey. The anticipated sample size is a minimum of 150 participants to allow meaningful subgroup comparisons. Data will be collected via Google Forms and analyzed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons (t-test, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis), and chi-square tests will be performed. If sufficient sample size is achieved, correlation and regression analyses may also be conducted. This study is expected to provide valuable insights into the level of professional awareness and ethical considerations regarding intraoperative communication, potentially contributing to the development of training strategies to reduce intraoperative awareness risks and improve patient safety.
Interventions
OTHERQuestionnaire / Survey
An anonymous, structured 19-item online questionnaire (Google Forms) administered to operating room health professionals, including anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses. The survey collects demographic information, awareness, attitudes, and perceptions regarding the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative conversations.
Sponsors
Başakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital
Study design
Observational model
OTHER
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Age 18 years or older * Currently working in an operating room environment in Turkey (e.g., anesthesiologist, anesthesia resident, anesthesia technician, surgeon, surgical resident, operating room nurse) * Access to the internet and ability to complete an online questionnaire * Willingness to participate voluntarily and provide informed consent via the online form
Exclusion criteria
* Individuals younger than 18 years * Healthcare personnel not directly working in the operating room environment. * Participants who provide incomplete, misleading, or random responses in the questionnaire * Individuals who do not provide informed consent at the beginning of the online survey
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness and Perceptions of Health Professionals Regarding Subconscious Effects of Intraoperative Conversations | At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period | Evaluated through responses to a 19-item anonymous online questionnaire. Measured parameters include knowledge of intraoperative awareness, beliefs about subconscious auditory perception under anesthesia, and attitudes toward ethical and professional considerations. Responses are assessed using Likert scales, categorical questions, and descriptive statistics. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Differences in Awareness Across Professional Groups | At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period | The evaluation was based on responses to a 19-item anonymous online survey. Comparison of perceptions regarding patient awareness during anesthesia among anesthesiologists, anesthesia assistants, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical assistants, and operating room nurses. |
| Correlation between Age and Awareness/Professional Attitude Score | At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period | Association between participant age (years) and the composite awareness/professional attitude score measured by the online questionnaire. |
| Support for Training and Ethical Guidelines | At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period | Evaluated through responses to a 19-item anonymous online questionnaire. Proportion of participants endorsing the need for training programs and ethical standards addressing intraoperative communication. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOREmine Ozcan, MD
Başakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital
Outcome results
None listed