Healthcare professionals' perception of equipment and infrastructure as determinants of quality in anesthesia and intensive care units

Background Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units (AICUs), hereafter referred to as Intensive Care Units (ICUs), represent high-risk clinical environments requiring advanced technology, adequate infrastructure, and specialized staff. This study explored healthcare professionals' perceptions of these structural factors and their influence on service quality across public and private hospitals in Romania. Methods A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted between 4 and 28 November 2024, involving 109 respondents (52.3% nurses, 22.9% ICU specialists, 17.4% residents, and 5.5% senior consultants). Data were collected using a 20-item online questionnaire distributed via institutional and professional networks using a convenience sampling strategy. Results Results indicated that both sectors perceived their technological infrastructure as generally adequate, with slightly higher ratings in private institutions; however, differences were small and not statistically significant (χ 2 = 3.03, df = 4, p = 0.553, Cramér's V = 0.17). The most frequent challenges reported were staff shortages and uneven protocol implementation. Moderate correlations were observed between equipment quality, safety perception, and staff motivation. Both groups identified investment in equipment, continuous training, and digitalisation as top priorities for improvement. No statistically significant differences were observed between public and private hospitals for most variables ( p > 0.05). Conclusions The findings reflect healthcare professionals' perceptions of structural and organizational factors in ICUs. Equipment availability, infrastructure, and staffing were identified as important perceived elements associated with service quality. Given the cross-sectional design and perception-based data, results should be interpreted cautiously, particularly given the limited sample size and perception-based design. No statistically significant differences were observed between public and private hospitals for most variables ( p > 0.05).