When surgeons face intraoperative challenges: a naturalistic model of surgical decision making

BACKGROUND: Surgery is an environment in which being an expert requires the ability to manage the unexpected. This feature has necessitated a shift in surgical decision-making research. The present study explores the processes by which surgeons assess and respond to nonroutine challenges in the operating room. METHODS: We used a grounded theory methodology supported on intraoperative observations and postoperative interviews with 7 faculty …