title: A second time-study of the anaesthetist's intraoperative period.
abstract: This second time-study of the anaesthetist's intraoperative period was conducted at The Ohio State University Hospitals. The study involved a total of 30 anaesthetic procedures. The activities of the anaesthetists were videotaped and analysed independently by three reviewers. Unlike our previous study, the present study was performed at a time when automatic noninvasive arterial pressure monitors, automatic ventilators and patient breathing circuit disconnect alarms were in use. The greatest amount of intraoperative time of the anaesthetist (59.1%) was spent monitoring the patient directly (44.8%) or indirectly (14.3%) via patient monitors. This represented an increase from our previous study attributable to the increased use of technology in the operating room. The anaesthetist still spent about 10-12% of his/her time completing patient records.
authors.affiliation: Ohio State University Hospitals, Department of Anesthesiology, Columbus 43210.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dzwonczyk
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dahl
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008499:Medical Records; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D014743:Videotape Recording