A Qualitative Study of Staff Experiences and Practices Within the Robotic Theatre Setup

Studies have shown that team work impacts patients safety. This is particularly the case in surgical theatres where individuals from different backgrounds (surgeon, anaesthetists, nurses, ..etc) work together to achieve a common goal which is looking after the patient. The robotic theatre set up is different due to the physical separation of the surgeon from the patient and the rest of the team. This may represent a communication challenge. The Study investigators aim to study theatre staff experiences and practices of communication and teamwork in this special setup, investigating any challenges participants may be facing and possible ways of adapting to them. Staff opinions and suggestions for improvement will be explored for utmost surgical performance and patient safety.

The study will involve two parts:1) individual staff interviews and 2) teamwork observations during real life surgery. The two parts should complement each other giving an overall picture of the teamwork in the robotic theatre setup.