Burnout and patient safety in operating room nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted healthcare systemsglobally, placing operating room (OR) nurses under considerable strain and exposing them to elevated levels of psychological distress. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of burnout syndrome (BoS) among Italian OR nurses during the pandemic and examine its association with perceived job performance and patient safety. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and November 2020 involving members of the Italian Association of Nurses in Operating Teams (Associazione Italiana Coordinatori Infermieristici or AICO). Data were collected via an anonymous online questionnaire, which included the Maslach burnout inventory and items assessing clinical errors and self-perceived job performance. Results: Of the 238 nurses invited, 233 completed the survey (97.9% response rate). High levels of emotional exhaustion were reported by 39.9 per cent of participants, moderate to high depersonalisation by 56.7 per cent and low personal accomplishment by 38.6 per cent. Additionally, 29.2 per cent reported having encountered risk and/or made a mistake in the past year, while 38.2 per cent reported a decline in their job performance. Both outcomes were significantly associated with higher levels of BoS (p < 0.01). Contributing factors included workplace disorganisation, negative team climate and workload intensity, particularly in general and neurosurgical settings. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for early identification of BoS and the implementation of targeted organisational strategies to support perioperative nurses. Addressing burnout is essential to safeguard staff wellbeing and maintain patient safety – both during public health crises and in everyday surgical care.