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Nurse-led paediatric pre operative assessment: an equivalence study
Helen Rushforth1, David Burge, Mark Mullee
1School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Southampton.
Paediatric Nursing
|April 26, 2006
Summary
Nurses can safely perform pre-operative assessments for children undergoing day case surgery, demonstrating equivalence to senior house officers in identifying significant abnormalities and history taking. This supports expanded nursing roles in pediatric surgical care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Nursing Practice
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Pre-operative assessment is crucial for day case surgery.
- Traditionally performed by junior doctors, exploring alternative providers is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if nurses can conduct pre-operative assessments as safely as senior house officers for pediatric day case surgery.
- To evaluate the equivalence of nursing versus junior doctor pre-operative assessments.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 595 children.
- Equivalence methodology was used to compare nurses (experimental) and junior doctors (control).
- Blinded expert verification by an experienced anesthetist served as the gold standard.
Main Results:
- Equivalence was found between nurses and senior house officers in detecting clinically significant abnormalities.
- Subgroup analysis confirmed equivalence in history-taking abilities.
- Equivalence in physical examination remains uncertain due to a limited number of findings.
Conclusions:
- Nurses are equivalent to junior doctors in pre-operative assessment for pediatric day case surgery within this context.
- Findings support the safe integration of nurses into pre-operative assessment roles for pediatric surgical patients.
- Further research may be needed to confirm equivalence in physical examination skills.