To understand the current status of human resources in Operating Room nursing in China, so as to provide reference for nursing management, human resource allocation, nursing education and training in Operating Rooms.

Using the stratified sampling method, a self-made Operating Room nursing human resource survey questionnaire of Chinese Nursing Society was used as a research tool in July 2021 to investigate the general situation, surgical workload, human resource allocation, Operating Room management, Operating Room information construction, nursing education and training of 2 201 hospitals in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China.

Among the 2 201 hospitals, there were 1 021 tertiary hospitals (46.39%), 1 177 secondary hospitals (50.75%), and 63 primary and below hospitals (2.86%). There were 2 056 hospitals with less than 30 Operating Rooms, accounting for 93.41%. There were 1 991 hospitals with an annual number of surgical cases less than 20 000, accounting for 90.46%, the educational background of Operating Room nurses was mainly undergraduate (66.93%, 43 359/64 780), with a total of 67.99% (44 045/64 780) having a bachelor's degree or above. Nurses were the main professional titles (42.66%, 27 632/64 780). Number of Operating Rooms: the number of Operating Room nurses (median) was 1: 2.43 and 78.96% (1 738/2 201) of hospital operating theatres were managed by Nursing Departments or hospitals. A total of 1 479 hospitals (67.20%) established anesthesia recovery rooms in their Operating Rooms, which was higher than 59.34% (1 210 hospitals) surveyed in 2016, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=226.701, P<0.01). 74.69% (1 644/2 201) and 87.87% (1 934/2 201) of hospitals carried out post management and capacity classification management in Operating Rooms, respectively. Day surgery and robotic surgery were performed in 47.80% (1 052/201) and 7.68% (169/2 201) hospitals, respectively. 36.98% (814/2 201) of the hospitals passed the information evaluation system certification and 64.61% (1 422/2 201) of the hospitals used the Operating Room information management system. In the Operating Room information system of the hospital, 2.54% (56/2 201) had intelligent functions. And 77.24% (1 700/2 201) of hospitals participated in the qualification training of Operating Room specialist nurses.

By July 2021, the number of Operating Rooms in most hospitals in China is less than 30, and the annual number of operating cases is less than 20 000. The educational background and professional title of Operating Room nurses are mainly undergraduate and nurse. More than 60% of hospitals have set up anesthesia recovery rooms and have information management systems for Operating Rooms. At the same time, Operating Rooms in Chinese hospitals have widely implemented diversified nursing management models such as post management and ability grading management.

Cross-sectional study; Operating Room; Nursing management; Human resources; Post management; Informatization