Subconscious Effects of Intraoperative Speech: Health Professionals' Perceptions

Overview

This observational, questionnaire-based study aims to evaluate health professionals' perceptions regarding the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative conversations on patients. Although intraoperative awareness is rare, neuroscientific evidence suggests that unconscious perception of auditory stimuli under anesthesia may influence postoperative psychological outcomes. An anonymous 19-item online survey will be distributed to anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses across Turkey. Data will be collected via Google Forms, with voluntary participation and informed consent. Statistical analysis will include descriptive and comparative methods to assess differences across professional groups and experience levels.

Intraoperative awareness refers to conscious or subconscious perception during general anesthesia. Although its clinical incidence is rare, previous studies using EEG, fMRI, and neurocognitive methods have shown that auditory stimuli presented during anesthesia can leave subconscious traces and may influence postoperative psychological well-being, trust in healthcare, and anxiety levels.This study aims to explore health professionals' knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative conversations. The research is designed as a multicenter, observational, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study. A 19-item anonymous online survey will be distributed through professional networks, social media, and institutional mailing lists. Target participants include anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses actively working in operating rooms across Turkey. The primary objective is to evaluate the awareness level of healthcare professionals on the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative speech. Secondary objectives include identifying differences between professional groups, years of experience, and demographic factors. No intervention or treatment is involved, and no patient participation is required. Participation is voluntary and anonymous, with informed consent obtained at the beginning of the online survey. The anticipated sample size is a minimum of 150 participants to allow meaningful subgroup comparisons. Data will be collected via Google Forms and analyzed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons (t-test, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis), and chi-square tests will be performed. If sufficient sample size is achieved, correlation and regression analyses may also be conducted. This study is expected to provide valuable insights into the level of professional awareness and ethical considerations regarding intraoperative communication, potentially contributing to the development of training strategies to reduce intraoperative awareness risks and improve patient safety.