KENYATTA UNIVERSITY TEACHING, REFERRAL AND RESEARCH HOSPITAL

PERIOPERATIVE NURSES CHAPTER�39^TH ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE�

Theme: Education and Training Improves Practice

Sub Theme: Impact of Patient Education in Surgical Outcomes

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Presenters:

Susan Njogu – Perioperative Lecturer (KUTRRH)

Verah Nyachae - Perioperative Lecturer (KUTRRH)

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PATIENT EDUCATION

�INTRODUCTION�Definition

• Patient education is the practice of informing patients about their health, wellness, treatment plans, potential outcomes and other information critical to the patient experience.

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• Education on perioperative surgical and anesthetic risks, postoperative activity limitations, the possible need for physical therapy and future follow-up appointments, allows patients to have realistic expectations of their postoperative recovery and return of function

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• Information passed on during the real-time conversation with the doctor shortly before the operation is usually not easily processed by patients. Due to the elevated stress level before surgery patients tend to panic more often.

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Impact of patient education on surgical outcomes

1. Overall Patient Satisfaction

• Better informed patients reduce problems after Surgery.
• Patients sue hospitals because they were allegedly not or only insufficiently informed about the possible risks of their surgery.
• Such accusations are usually followed by revision surgeries, malpractice lawsuits as well as lengthy legal proceedings which cost hospitals a lot of money.

�2.Pre-operative and Postoperative Anxiety Management�

• A well knowledgeable patient reduces pre-operative anxiety levels and makes the unknown more familiar

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• Patients come to the hospital uneducated and worried about their surgery.

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• Common concerns among patients and families include fear of the unknown, the possibility of pain, and the impact of surgery on quality of life post-operatively.

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• Lack of health knowledge can be a stimulus for higher anxiety in surgical patients

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�3.Post-operative Pain management�

• A well-designed preoperative educational program includes understanding the patient’s pain experience, expectations, and previous use of multimodal strategies.

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• Education should be provided before the surgery date to help ensure expectations are congruent with safe practice.

4.Prevention of surgical site Infection

�5. Improvement of overall quality of life�

• Perioperative education prevents postoperative complications after major visceral surgery such as pneumonia, DVT, pulmonary embolism, burst abdomen.

RECOMMENDATIONS

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• Nurses and other healthcare workers should consider various educational programs such as written material, illustrations, images, computer technology, smartphone mobile applications, serious games, audio, video and demonstrations.

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• Surgical nursing staff should provide proper explanation and counseling to be in adherence with the care plan and promote outcome for elective surgical patients

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• Studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative education program on specific types of surgery.

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CONCLUSION

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• Perioperative nurses and nursing managers play an important educational role in improving surgical outcomes.
• Patient education is an important nursing duty in increasing the quality of services and patient satisfaction.
• In today’s competitive market, only those institutions that pay more attention to patient satisfaction will be most successful. Patient education is the means to improving the quality health care.

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