Operating Room Nurses' Lived Experience of the Phenomenon of "Retained Surgical Items" In Patients' Bodies: A Phenomenological Study

Today, despite the use of protocols and checklists related to surgical safety, the phenomenon of "retained surgical items" is still reported as one of the complications of surgeries. Despite its low incidence, this complication has irreparable consequences for the patient and the health system. Therefore, this study was conducted to explain the lived experience of operating room nurses regarding the phenomenon of "retained surgical items" in patients' bodies.

This qualitative study used a descriptive phenomenological method in 2023-2024 in all Hamedan University of Medical Sciences affiliated hospitals. Ten operating room nurses were selected using purposeful and snowball sampling methods. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, and then data analysis was done using the Colaizzi method.

After analyzing the data, 2 main themes and 5 sub-themes related to "retained surgical items" were extracted. The two main themes are mental and emotional reactions and professional attitude.

Considering the importance of patient safety on the one hand and the increasing spread of surgeries worldwide on the other, the results of our study are expected to increase by revealing the attitude and psychological reactions of operating room nurses while helping them improve their weak points. The quality of care in the surgery field will help increase patients' safety in the mentioned field.