The Clinical Decision-Making Skills of Operating Room Nurses Regarding Knowledge of Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia

This research is planned to examine the effect of operating room nurses' knowledge levels regarding inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) on their clinical decision-making skills. IPH is a preventable patient safety issue that can lead to serious complications such as cardiac arrhythmias, blood loss, infection, and prolonged hospital stay. The literature indicates that nurses' knowledge levels regarding IPH are generally insufficient, and this negatively impacts their clinical decision-making processes.

This research is a cross-sectional study to be conducted in the operating room of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University Health Practice and Research Hospital between March 2026 and May 2026. The sample size was determined to be at least 165 nurses using power analysis.

Data will be collected using a Demographic Information Form, the Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia Knowledge Test (IPH-BT), and a 15-item Clinical Decision-Making Scenarios Form developed by the researchers. Data will be analyzed using SPSS software; group comparisons, correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses will be performed.

This study will test whether nurses' knowledge levels differ according to demographic characteristics, their relationship with clinical decision-making skills, and whether knowledge level predicts decision-making skills.

This research is expected to contribute to identifying the training needs of operating room nurses regarding IPD management and strengthening their evidence-based clinical decision-making skills.