She won't be Dancing Much Anyway: A Study of Surgeons, Surgical Nurses, and Elderly Patients

Abstract

This research examined how the interpersonal dynamics between surgeons and surgical nurses in the operating room and their attitudes toward elderly patients affected the quality of care delivered. Qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews with surgeons and surgical nurses and from 5 months of participant observation in an operating room. The findings indicate that surgeons strongly influence how surgical personnel treat patients during surgery. The surgeon's ultimate control and unquestioned authority in surgery, when combined with depersonalization of patients, created situations in which the quality of care was compromised. The recommendations discussed include establishing the surgeon as a positive role model, specialized training for those working with elderly patients, and shared governance of the operating room.