The quality of intraoperative nursing care: the patient's perspective

The purpose of this study was to document patients' responses (n = 246) to intraoperative care and to find out whether or not their opinions (n = 158) changed with time Another goal was to develop a patient-based scale for continuous systematic evaluation The data were collected by a structured questionnaire in two phases in 1993 first at the end of the patients' hospital stay, and then after a few weeks at home The following themes were covered in the questionnaire biological-physiological, experiential, cognitive, functional, ethical, the characteristics and competence of nursing professionals, and environmental Statistical analysis suggested that the patients were satisfied with their intraoperative care Problems occurred mainly in cognitive and experiential perspectives, such as the need for continuous access to information and coping with the anxiety related to the impending surgery It also emerged that special attention must be paid to keeping the patient warm in the operating theatre and to looking after emergency patients, younger patients, and patients who only remain in the operating department for a short period of tune The patients' evaluations of the standards of care tended to be less critical in hospital than they were a few weeks after discharge     

The quality of perioperative care: development of a tool for the perceptions of patients

AIM OF THE STUDY: To find out how surgical hospital patients (n=874) perceived the quality of perioperative care they received in an operating department and in the recovery room. BACKGROUND: Patients' perceptions of the perioperative care have not been included systematically in the improvement of the care. Accordingly, there is no standardized, valid, and reliable instrument or system in common use that we could use for the evaluation. The nursing care in operating departments has an important role in modern health care, and therefore more research concerning perioperative care quality is needed urgently and the development of the measurement tool is urgent. METHOD: The data were collected using a structured questionnaire in five operating departments in southern Finland during 1998. RESULTS: Physical activities (such as pain management and temperature maintenance) were rated as excellent, as were staff characteristics and the physical and social environment. The most critical comments were made with regard to supporting patient initiative, encouragement and educational activities. Patients stated they would have liked more information and it was felt that they should have been encouraged to ask more questions about unclear matters. Some of the patients said they had only very limited influence over their own care. The patients were very pleased with their care in the recovery room. There were only minor differences between the views of patients from different departments. CONCLUSIONS: Overall the quality of care was considered extremely good, but comparisons of different quality categories did reveal some problems. Although it has already proved to be a useful tool, the questionnaire needs to be developed and tested further.     

Seeking a balance between employment and the care of an ageing parent

Scand J Caring Sci; 2011; 25; 285–293
Seeking a balance between employment and the care of an ageing parent Rationale: A growing number of middle‐aged people are engaged in informal care of their parents while employed. To provide support as employers, co‐workers or staff, health care professionals need insight into the experiences of people managing these responsibilities. Aim: To elucidate the experience of providing informal care to an ageing parent while managing the responsibilities of a working life. Methods: Narrative interviews were performed with 11 persons with experience of the phenomenon. Transcribed interviews were analysed with phenomenological hermeneutics. Ethics: Informed consent was given prior to the interviews. The study was approved by a research ethics committee. Findings: Providing informal care to an ageing parent while also pursuing a working life implies seeking balance: a balance between providing support to the parent’s needs and one’s responsibilities at work. Being employed supports this balance as it provides both fulfilment and refuge. Being capable of managing both roles grants a sense of satisfaction, supporting one’s sense of balance in life. The balance can be supported by sharing the responsibility of caring for the ageing parent with others. Study limitations: Despite perceived saturation and an effort to provide for the possibility to consider internal consistency, the findings should be considered as a contribution to the understanding of the phenomenon, as experienced by individuals in their life world. Conclusions: It is essential to recognise the impact that providing care for an ageing parent may have on the lives of a growing number of people, particularly if they have employment responsibilities. Acknowledgement by others supports one’s ability to attain balance; as co‐workers and managers, we can acknowledge the efforts of an informal caregiver and as health care staff recognise the valuable contribution made by people in mid‐life who provide informal care for their ageing parents.