A randomized controlled trial of a new approach to preoperative teaching and patient compliance

A randomized controlled experiment evaluating the effects of a new approach to preoperative teaching on patient compliance is described. In this study, compliance was measured by the accuracy, regularity and willingness that patients showed in execution of the prescribed activities after surgery. A significant difference was found between the experimental and control patients in the regularity, willingness and accuracy with which they performed the prescribed postoperative exercises. The experimental patients were significantly more satisfied with this approach to preoperative teaching than the control patients. This study is seen to have implications for both nursing education and nursing service.