Postoperative Teaching Preoperatively
Anne Cummings, BSN, RN, Denise King, BSN, RN
Problem Identification
Most post operative teaching on Home
Care was being done postoperatively
after patients had received an anesthetic.
Background
 Patient’s retention and understanding
of these instructions is one
determinant of postoperative
outcomes.
 Follow up calls made to patients
within 48 hours after discharge
revealed this deficit.
PICOT
In patients undergoing same-day surgical
procedures, will preoperative teaching
improve post operative knowledge and
decrease complications?
 P – Same day/ambulatory surgery
 I – Educating staff to begin post
operative instructions during
preoperative phone call
 C – patient instructions given
postoperatively
 O – Improved knowledge of
discharge information as evident
by increased patient satisfaction
scores
 T –over a four month period
 S – Ambulatory Surgery Unit
NYP/LM
Participants
 Ambulatory Same day Surgery
Outpatients
Phase II Ambulatory Care Unit
.
Evidence Review
key objective of preoperative care is to
avoid harm, preoperatively,
intraoperatively and postoperatively
--patients did not remember being
given discharge instructions after they
have had anesthesia .
Information about how to care for
oneself given before the day of
surgery have improved outcomes
from preoperative teaching -use of
brochures and pamphlets along with
verbal instruction improve
knowledge and retention.
Methods
Rollout was done during our UPC
monthly meeting.
Handouts supplied by some surgeons and
others approved by organizational
leadership were placed in blue folders in
the surgical intake area
Staff educated on providing instructions
in the discharge domain during the initial
nursing assessment
Results Recommendations
 Summary of Key findings:
Benchmark  Post implementation data shows
Goal is 90.6 an upward trend
 Continue to collect data
Pre and post
 Outpatient discharge teaching will
begin with the preoperative phone
implementation call
Data  Information will again be reviewed
day of procedure before anesthetic
is administered utilizing teach-back
method in alignment with NYP’s
policy
References
Peate, I. (2015). Principles of surgical
care: preoperative care . British Journal
Of Healthcare Assistants, 9(8), 380-385.
Hovespian, J., McGab, C., & O’Brien, C.
(2016). Evaluating effectiveness of a
teaching model on patients satisfaction
regarding instructions for home care.
Rice, J.( 2014). Time to teach: would
giving discharge instructions
preoperatively improve patient satisfaction
prior to surgery.
Contact: Anne Cummings
@anc9182@nyp.org
Dek9030@nyp.org