Out-patient surgery--a survey of anaesthesia care in a university hospital

Impact of discharge from day surgery on patients and carers

This article outlines the increase in the amount and complexity of day-case surgery currently being undertaken in the UK. The continuing increase in day surgery has led to a corresponding rise in patient and lay carer involvement throughout the pre- and postoperative period. The impact day surgery expansion is having on patients and their carers' contribution to care are therefore highlighted as challenging issues for modern day-case surgery. Utilizing the evidence available from the literature, the article focuses specifically on the contemporary issues concerning patient and lay carer experiences of discharge from a day surgery facility. The main challenges identified are pain management, recovery behaviour and community care provision. The clinical application of the issues raised within these themes is considered and recommendations for future practice are highlighted.

Social impact of same day surgery for the patient and the carer: a study of patients' experiences

A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview 18 patients, prior to surgery, on the day of their admission to day surgery. The purpose of the interviews was to gather information about the social arrangements, for both patient and carer, that were made necessary by the need for the patient to attend surgery and to be cared for at home over the 24-hour post-discharge period. The initial response of the patients concerning the arrangements made for their post-operative care didn't expose any far-reaching difficulties. However, their descriptive stories reveal the extent of the measures that some needed to take in order to attend surgery and be cared for at home. These results point to a need for extensive research into the cost of the social impact of day surgery on the patient and the carer.