[Surgical care guidelines]

Evidence-based guidelines for perioperative care facilitate the recovery process and decrease morbidity and hospital stay. The aim of this study was to evaluate the availability and content of guidelines for perioperative care in all departments performing colonic resection, nephrectomy, ovarian cancer surgery, pulmonary resection and total knee replacement.

Based upon nationwide workshops and agreement on clinical guidelines for perioperative care a questionnaire was sent to all surgical departments which perform the five procedures. Where available, the guidelines were assessed for presence of written information at admission and discharge, expected hospital stay, plan for mobilisation, nutrition and pain control as well as information on care after discharge.

Between 59% and 88% of the departments within each subspecialty had clinical guidelines for perioperative care. The content in the existing guidelines often lacked accurate information regarding preoperative information, objective pain assessment and well-defined discharge criteria.

The number of clinical guidelines is increasing, but there is a need for further implementation of clinical guidelines for perioperative care in order to improve outcome.