Subconscious Effects of Intraoperative Speech: Health Professionals' Perceptions

February 4, 2026 updated by: Emine OZCAN, Başakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital

Health Professionals' Perceptions of the Subconscious Effects of Intraoperative Conversations in Patients: A Questionnaire-Based Study

This observational, questionnaire-based study aims to evaluate health professionals' perceptions regarding the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative conversations on patients. Although intraoperative awareness is rare, neuroscientific evidence suggests that unconscious perception of auditory stimuli under anesthesia may influence postoperative psychological outcomes. An anonymous 19-item online survey will be distributed to anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses across Turkey. Data will be collected via Google Forms, with voluntary participation and informed consent. Statistical analysis will include descriptive and comparative methods to assess differences across professional groups and experience levels.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Intraoperative awareness refers to conscious or subconscious perception during general anesthesia. Although its clinical incidence is rare, previous studies using EEG, fMRI, and neurocognitive methods have shown that auditory stimuli presented during anesthesia can leave subconscious traces and may influence postoperative psychological well-being, trust in healthcare, and anxiety levels.This study aims to explore health professionals' knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative conversations. The research is designed as a multicenter, observational, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study. A 19-item anonymous online survey will be distributed through professional networks, social media, and institutional mailing lists. Target participants include anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses actively working in operating rooms across Turkey. The primary objective is to evaluate the awareness level of healthcare professionals on the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative speech. Secondary objectives include identifying differences between professional groups, years of experience, and demographic factors. No intervention or treatment is involved, and no patient participation is required. Participation is voluntary and anonymous, with informed consent obtained at the beginning of the online survey. The anticipated sample size is a minimum of 150 participants to allow meaningful subgroup comparisons. Data will be collected via Google Forms and analyzed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons (t-test, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis), and chi-square tests will be performed. If sufficient sample size is achieved, correlation and regression analyses may also be conducted. This study is expected to provide valuable insights into the level of professional awareness and ethical considerations regarding intraoperative communication, potentially contributing to the development of training strategies to reduce intraoperative awareness risks and improve patient safety.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
251

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Istanbul
      • Başakşehir, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye), 34480
        • Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Operating room health professionals in Turkey, including anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses. Participation is voluntary and limited to individuals aged 18 years and older who provide informed consent to complete the online questionnaire.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 years or older
  • Currently working in an operating room environment in Turkey (e.g., anesthesiologist, anesthesia resident, anesthesia technician, surgeon, surgical resident, operating room nurse)
  • Access to the internet and ability to complete an online questionnaire
  • Willingness to participate voluntarily and provide informed consent via the online form

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals younger than 18 years
  • Healthcare personnel not directly working in the operating room environment.
  • Participants who provide incomplete, misleading, or random responses in the questionnaire
  • Individuals who do not provide informed consent at the beginning of the online survey

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Operating Room Health Professionals
Anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses working actively in operating rooms across Turkey.
Other: Questionnaire / Survey
An anonymous, structured 19-item online questionnaire (Google Forms) administered to operating room health professionals, including anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical residents, and operating room nurses. The survey collects demographic information, awareness, attitudes, and perceptions regarding the potential subconscious effects of intraoperative conversations.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Awareness and Perceptions of Health Professionals Regarding Subconscious Effects of Intraoperative Conversations
Time Frame: At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period
Evaluated through responses to a 19-item anonymous online questionnaire. Measured parameters include knowledge of intraoperative awareness, beliefs about subconscious auditory perception under anesthesia, and attitudes toward ethical and professional considerations. Responses are assessed using Likert scales, categorical questions, and descriptive statistics.
At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Differences in Awareness Across Professional Groups
Time Frame: At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period
The evaluation was based on responses to a 19-item anonymous online survey. Comparison of perceptions regarding patient awareness during anesthesia among anesthesiologists, anesthesia assistants, anesthesia technicians, surgeons, surgical assistants, and operating room nurses.
At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period
Correlation between Age and Awareness/Professional Attitude Score
Time Frame: At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period
Association between participant age (years) and the composite awareness/professional attitude score measured by the online questionnaire.
At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period
Support for Training and Ethical Guidelines
Time Frame: At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period
Evaluated through responses to a 19-item anonymous online questionnaire. Proportion of participants endorsing the need for training programs and ethical standards addressing intraoperative communication.
At survey completion (single time point) during the 1-month data collection period

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Başakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Emine Ozcan, MD, Başakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 2, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 2, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 26, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 4, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 4, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • AWAKE2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The study collects anonymous survey responses only. No individual participant data (IPD) will be shared.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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