%0 Journal Article
%T Assessment of Operating Room Workers' Exposure to Surgical Smoke and Their Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic
%A Fadime Cinar
%A Nursah Buyukcamsari Sanlier
%J International Journal of Social and Psychological Aspects of Healthcare
%@ 3108-4818
%D 2021
%V 1
%N 1
%R 10.51847/YI0tjoClOT
%P 58-65
%X This study aimed to assess the perceptions of operating room workers regarding surgical smoke exposure and their personal well-being levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted as a descriptive study between May and June 2022, the research included 82 operating room staff members from a public hospital in Istanbul. Data were collected using a questionnaire covering sociodemographic details, surgical smoke exposure, and the personal well-being scale. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the data. Among the participants, 89% believed that they had been exposed to surgical smoke. Symptoms reported among those exposed included headaches (45.1%), coughing (11%), throat irritation (31.7%), eye discomfort (56.1%), excessive tearing (34.1%), and respiratory issues (20.7%). To minimize exposure, staff relied on protective measures such as surgical masks (74.4%), aspiration catheters (59.8%), gowns (74.4%), goggles (74.4%), filters (35.4%), and filtration masks (6.1%). In addition, 93.9% expressed a desire for training on surgical smoke. The mean score on the personal well-being scale was X̄ = 41.76, indicating low well-being. The findings suggest that preventive measures in operating rooms were inadequate during the pandemic, leading to various health symptoms among staff and reduced well-being. More efforts are needed to control and eliminate surgical smoke in operating rooms. It is necessary to investigate cost-effective smoke extraction methods and investigate the long-term effects of chronic exposure among healthcare personnel.
%U https://smerpub.com/article/assessment-of-operating-room-workers-exposure-to-surgical-smoke-and-their-well-being-during-the-cov-ta9lutg6jzxifqr