Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association
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Objective The aim of the present study was to describe process changes in surgical team performance and team members' attitudes to safety culture following hospital relocation and expansion of perioperative services. Methods The study was a naturalistic study using structured observations and surveys to assess non-technical skills (NTS; i.e. communication, teamwork, situational awareness, decision making and leadership) in surgery. This interrupted time series design used mixed-linear regression models to examine the effect of phase (before and after hospital relocation) on surgical teams' NTS and their processes that may affect performance. ⋯ What is known about the topic? Patient safety in surgery relies on optimal team performance, underpinned by effective NTS. What does this paper add? The NTS of surgical teams may be improved through ergonomic innovations that promote teams' shared mental models. What are the implications for practitioners? Effective multidisciplinary teamwork relies on a combination of NTS and ergonomic factors, which inherently contribute to team performance and safety climate attitudes.