Demands of surgical teams in robotic-assisted surgery: An assessment of intraoperative workload within different surgical specialties

Background: Current approaches to assessing workload in robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) focus on surgeons and lack real-world data. Understanding how workload varies by role and specialty aids in identifying effective ways to optimize workload.Methods: SURG-TLX surveys with six domains of workload were administered to surgical staff at three sites. Staff reported workload perceptions for each domain on a 20-point Likert scale, and aggregate scores were determined per participant.Results: 188 questionnaires were obtained across 90 RAS procedures. Significantly higher aggregate scores were reported for gynecology (Mdn = 30.00) (p = 0.034) and urology (Mdn = 36.50) (p = 0.006) than for general (Mdn = 25.00). Surgeons reported significantly higher scores for task complexity (Mdn = 8.00) than both technicians (Mdn = 5.00) (p = 0.007), and nurses (Mdn = 5.00). Conclusions: Staff reported significantly higher workload during urology and gynecology procedures, and experienced significant differences in domain workload by role and specialty, elucidating the need for tailored workload interventions.

Automated summary

This study assessed workload in robotic-assisted surgery by administering SURG-TLX surveys to surgical staff at three sites. The results showed significantly higher workload during urology and gynecology procedures, and significant differences in domain workload by role and specialty, highlighting the need for tailored workload interventions.