424

Learning Objective #1: impart knowledge regarding early ambulation to the clients undergoing abdominal surgery.

Learning Objective #2: encourage the clients to participate actively in their early activity program.

---

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: After surgery often the patient's freedom of movement is restricted due to intravenous infusion, various tubes or drains that must accompany the patient during ambulation. A structured education program on early ambulation provides patients with knowledge needed to develop self-care abilities, self confidence, reduce anxiety and ensure a sense of participation in care, thus protecting the patient from injury, harm & complications. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of planned preoperative teaching on early ambulation for patients undergoing abdominal surgery. METHOD: A quasi-experimental design was adopted. Convenient sample consists of 30 subjects, 15 in each of the experimental and control group. Preoperative teaching plan on early ambulation was developed after an extensive review of literature and expert opinion. It includes the steps i.e. deep breathing exercises, extremities exercises, up & walking, maintenance of daily routine activities and progressive ambulation. A checklist with 40 items was used to assess the level of performance preoperatively, before the implementation of teaching on early ambulation as well as on the 3rd & 5th postoperative day. Control group did not receive any preoperative teaching. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULT: Major finding of the study revealed a non significant difference of pretest performance scores between the two groups (P>0.05) before the implementation of planned preoperative teaching on early ambulation. However, there was strong statistically significant difference (P<0.001) found between the posttest performance scores of experimental and control group when analyzed by unpaired't' test. Therefore, it concludes that the patients who received preoperative teaching had less pain, early wound healing and recovery than the patients who did not received. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that planned preoperative teaching is an extremely effective media to increase the level of performance and enhance the early recovery of the subjects undergoing abdominal surgery.