What are the lived career experiences of senior operating department practitioners? An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are registered healthcare practitioners who provide specialist care to patients across the perioperative environment in the disciplines of anaesthetics, surgery and post-anaesthetic care. There is a significant knowledge gap that surrounds the profession in terms of their career experiences. Using a methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis, the lived career experiences of six senior ODPs were investigated. Seven themes were identified across the experiences of participants addressing a wide range of topics including issues such as professional development, relationships with other healthcare professionals, sexual safety, student experiences and visibility. Recommendations based on this study include further investigation of ODP experiences across a wider demographic, an immediate review of how job adverts are constructed be more inclusive, and a call for increased professional visibility of ODPs. Long term recommendations include a resolution around the use of Patient Group Directives (PGDs), workplace culture reviews and a review of theatre-attire appropriateness in relation to sexual safety in the perioperative environment.