Ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients’ symptoms with two different patient education methods

Summary 

Aim

To evaluate changes in ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients’ symptoms during the surgical process and to compare whether the two different patient education methods had an effect on patients’ symptoms during the ambulatory surgical process.

Design

A randomised controlled trial was used. Ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients in one university hospital in Finland participated in the study.

Methods

Patients were randomised to either an experiment group (n=72) that received Internet-based patient education or to a control group (n=75) that received face-to-face education with a nurse. Data were collected at seven different time points during the surgical process. A structured instrument called “The Symptoms” with a visual analogue scale was used. Results were statistically analyzed.

Results

Ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients had few severe symptoms during the surgical process. Severity of symptoms changed during the surgical process. The severity of symptoms did not decrease after the patient education, and they were highest on the first post-operative day. There were no differences in the symptoms of patients in the two groups.

Conclusion

Patients symptoms’ were dependent of the surgical process and were strongest right after the surgery. Thus, both education methods can be recommended equally when working with ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients.

Keywords: Patient education, Internet, Ambulatory surgery, Symptom