Some observations on operating theatre organisation and efficiency

The achievement of a complete operating list in perfect peace and harmony is an unusual event; the completion of all of a day's emergency work before the early hours of the next morning, let alone in harmony, is even more unusual. Why do difficulties so often arise? What or who is so difficult? In the UK, surgeons perform operations in ‘theatres’, a word which derives, via Latin, from the Greek theatron, where spectacular events occur: the bad temper, instrument throwing, swearing and rudeness which were the hallmarks of some illustrious surgeons of a bygone era — an aspect of their performance which obituary writers are usually at pains to disguise — were matched by the ‘battle axe’ sister, or caused the dissolution of a less hardy soul in tears. A change of name to ‘operating room’ might improve matters, but it is probably too late — the atmosphere has changed considerably and surgeons have come to appreciate that the performance of an operation is a team effort and is more likely to be satisfactory if normal civilities are displayed.