Evaluation of a Telephone Call Service for Ambulatory Surgery Patients in Taiwan

Nurses' Perceptions of Patient Care Continuity in Day Surgery

PURPOSE

The increase in day surgery has brought about a significant change in patient care and care continuity. The purpose of this study was to analyze nurses' perceptions of the realization of continuity of care in day surgery. Continuity of care is examined from the perspectives of time, flow, co-ordination flow, caring relationship flow, and information flow.

DESIGN

Descriptive study.

METHODS

A questionnaire including demographics and questions about continuity of care was completed by 83 of the 120 eligible nurses (response rate, 69%) in one hospital district in Finland.

FINDINGS

According to the nurses, continuity of patient care is mostly well realized. On the day of surgery, information flow was the domain that was best realized. In the opinion of the nurses, continuity of care was least realized at home before surgery and at home during the period after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on nurses' perceptions, continuity of care was relatively well realized.

Using a shared governance structure to evaluate the implementation of a new model of care: the shared experience of a performance improvement committee

Sustaining change in the behaviors and habits of experienced practicing nurses can be frustrating and daunting, even when changes are based on evidence. Partnering with an active shared governance structure to communicate change and elicit feedback is an established method to foster partnership, equity, accountability, and ownership. Few recent exemplars in the literature link shared governance, change management, and evidence-based practice to transitions in care models. This article describes an innovative staff-driven approach used by nurses in a shared governance performance improvement committee to use evidence-based practice in determining the best methods to evaluate the implementation of a new model of care.

Clinical practice and routines for day surgery in Sweden: implications for improvement in nursing interventions

The purpose of this study was to examine nursing practice in day surgery settings in Sweden. A questionnaire focusing on the routines of the day surgery process of patients in Sweden was administered. Based on these findings, appropriate nursing interventions are outlined and discussed. Day surgery routines were in accordance with general worldwide practice. The study revealed that nursing involvement was rare in the preoperative routine. In addition, the major part of the recovery process, including assessments of discharge eligibility and information about pain management, was managed by PACU nurses. The nurse follow-up revealed a number of subjective queries and symptoms that, in a seemingly easy way, could have been prevented by further perianesthesia/perioperative patient education. There is an obvious place for nursing interventions when the decision for day surgery is taken. These interventions should focus on providing the patient with information before surgery, preoperative patient health screening, and information/education at discharge. Furthermore, nursing interventions should include quality assurance, such as follow-up calls for the evaluation of care, as well as providing information and coaching for the patient at home.