[Evaluation of lighting conditions in operating rooms and their influence on feelings perceived by the nursing staff].

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to analyze lighting conditions occurring in operating rooms and determine their influence on feelings perceived by the operating room nurses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The studies were conducted in 29 operating rooms of different operative specialty. In each operating room, its colors and the kind of general and localized lightings were analyzed. The illumination intensity and the luminance focused on the field of operation and its surroundings were measured. A survey was also held to investigate the feelings perceived by nurses and their subjective evaluation of lighting conditions in operating rooms.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

The obtained results reveal that lighting conditions in the majority of the operating rooms are correct, but there are some (30%) where illumination is much too low and the composition of colors is improper. Most of the operating room nurses complain about overburdened eyes--the more improprieties, the more complains about lighting conditions in operating rooms.