Home recovery following day surgery: A patient perspective

Mitchell, MJ

Abstract

Aim: Investigate aspects of care potentially most influencing home recovery following day surgery.
Background: Elective surgery undertaken on a day case basis is expanding. Many medical aspects of recovery have been investigated although less is known about the psycho-social view of post-discharge recovery. Greater insight into such issues are required for the development of a more co-ordinated nurse-led approach.
Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire.
Method: As part of a larger study, questionnaires were distributed to 2,401 adult patients on the day of operation (Sept 2010 - Oct 2011) to examine patients experiences of psycho-social recovery. Participants were requested to complete and return the questionnaire by mail 1 week after surgery with 684 returned.
Results: 85% were fully prepared for all events during home recovery. Satisfaction with pre- and post-operative surgical information was high although less so anaesthetic information . Using factor analysis Pre-operative Information, Pain Management, Post-discharge Information, Anxiety Management, Post-operative Nausea and Vomiting, Help and Rest once Home were central features. Multiple regression demonstrated pre- and post-operative information provision to have a statistically significant positive associated with patients’ being ‘fully prepared for all events during home recover’. Unsatisfactory pain management, increased anxiety and reduce help once home had a statistically significant negative association with patients’ being ‘fully prepared for all events during home recovery’.
Conclusions: Focusing on the delivery of surgical and anaesthetic information, managing pain and anxiety and ensuring support once home may help to enhance recovery. A more comprehensive plan embracing such aspects could help enhance the day surgery patients’ experience.
Relevance to Practice: Increased satisfaction and surgical/ anaesthetic information are central to the continued success of minimal stay surgery. A broader hospital/ home strategy is required as too frequently nursing care can become fragmented between the pre-operative out-patient visit, pre-assessment, day of surgery and post-operative out-patient visit.

Citation

Mitchell, M. (2015). Home recovery following day surgery: A patient perspective. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 24(3-4), 427-427. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.12615

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Feb 23, 2015
• Journal: Journal of Clinical Nursing
• Print ISSN: 0962-1067
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2702
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 3-4
• Pages: 427-427
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.12615
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jocn.12615
• Related Public URLs: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2702