Abstract
The purpose of the study was to find out whether an organized, preoperative teaching program would make a difference in patient recovery from intra-abdominal surgery.
A review of literature served as a guide in defining the needs of patients and in developing class content. An outline, which included deep breathing, coughing, turning, bed exercises and what to expect, was made for the class. Nine slides were developed specifically for the teaching sessions. To reinforce the teaching, a handout was given to each patient.
It was hypothesized that the experimental group of patients would require less pain medication, develop fewer complications and have a shorter length of hospital stay.
A total of one hundred patients who had intra-abdominal surgery were included in the study, fifty in each group. The experimental group consisted of adult patients who were undergoing surgery the following day, who were able to understand English, and who were able to attend the teaching sessions. Postoperatively the patients were visited for a five day period to reinforce the teaching and to observe for its effectiveness. The control group was selected in a retrospective manner from medical records within a five-year period, beginning with 1968. They were matched with the experimental group according to age, sex, operation and surgeon.
Findings indicated no statistically significant difference between the two groups except in amount of oral medication. The trend was, however, that the experimental group required less pain medication, developed fewer complications and stayed less time in the hospital.
LLU Discipline
Nursing
Department
Nursing
School
Graduate School
First Advisor
L. Lucile Lewis
Second Advisor
Jeanette Earnhardt
Third Advisor
Bruce W. Branson
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Degree Level
M.S.
Year Degree Awarded
1972
Date (Title Page)
9-1972
Language
English
Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings
Postoperative Care
Type
Thesis
Page Count
vii; 46
Digital Format
Digital Publisher
Loma Linda University Libraries
Copyright
Author
Usage Rights
This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.
Recommended Citation
Wiese, Eleanor, "Preoperative Teaching and its Relationship to Postoperative Recovery" (1972). Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects. 1142.
https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1142
Collection
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Collection Website
http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/
Repository
Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives