Trust and psychological safety are critical to infection prevention in the operating room. In this installment of her interview with Infection Control Today®, Colleen Becker, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, senior director of perioperative education for Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, explains how leadership that fosters openness and shared accountability empowers perioperative teams to speak up, identify risks early, and strengthen adherence to infection prevention practices.
In perioperative settings, infection prevention depends as much on trust and leadership as on protocols. Colleen Becker, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, senior director of perioperative education for AORN, spoke with Infection Control Today® and, in this installment, emphasized that psychological safety allows staff to raise concerns without fear, strengthening adherence to infection prevention practices.
Leaders who demonstrate competence and openness create environments where team members feel supported and accountable to one another. This shared responsibility reduces individual burden, supports resilience, and reinforces that infection prevention is a collective effort. When teams feel safe speaking up, risks are identified earlier and addressed together, improving patient safety and staff well-being.
ICT: In perioperative settings, infection prevention is always a top priority. How does embedding trust and resilience into operating room culture strengthen adherence to infection prevention protocols?
Colleen Becker, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K: Infection prevention is at the top of all perioperative team members’ minds at all times. None more important than that perioperative registered nurse who assumes responsibility for the care of that patient while he or she is in their care. It’s really important to have trust in all team members, starting with the leader. The leader can embody trust through demonstrating competence and knowing their leadership role. That helps the team feel confident that they can trust you as a leader.
It’s also about connections. Team members need to feel comfortable bringing forward issues, concerns, or ideas for improvement without fear of being judged or any kind of retribution. That’s how the area gets stronger. That trust creates psychological safety, which helps staff deal with resiliency challenges because they know issues will be tackled together and not placed on one person alone. That’s why it’s a team. There’s nothing we do independently or by ourselves.
