Related Experiment Videos
Spinal Stenosis Patients' Visual and Verbal Description of the Comprehension of Their Surgery
Jukka Kesänen1, Helena Leino-Kilpi, Teija Lund
1Jukka Kesänen, PhD, RN, Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku Finland; and Senior Lecturer, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland. Helena Leino-Kilpi, PhD, RN, FEANS, Professor, Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; and Nurse Director Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. Teija Lund, MD, Specialist, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Liisa Montin, PhD, RN, Researcher, Orton Orthopedic Hospital and Research Institute, Orton Foundation, Helsinki, Finland. Pauli Puukka, MSocSci, Statistician, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Turku, Finland. Kirsi Valkeapää, PhD, RN, Adjunct Professor, Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Background:
Spine surgery patients have difficulty comprehending the patient education aimed at preparing for surgery.
Purpose:
To assess the effect of a specific preoperative education approach (Knowledge Test Feedback Intervention, KTFI) on patients' verbal and visual understanding of their surgery.
Methods:
In this randomized controlled trial, the intervention group (n = 50) went through the KTFI and routine education, whereas the control group (n = 50) received only routine patient education. Written description of the surgical procedure and drawing of incision were used as outcome measures at baseline, at hospitalization, at discharge, and 3 and 6 months after surgery.
Results:
At baseline, half of the participants showed verbal and visual understanding of their surgery. During follow-up, understanding improved significantly with no statistically significant differences between the groups.
Conclusion:
Spinal stenosis patients' understanding of their surgical procedure is imperfect. Patient educators need to ensure patient learning by evaluating comprehension outcomes.