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Monday, 30 July 2012: 2:35 PM
Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to describe at least two effects of pre-operative education on patient outcomes.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to evaluate length of stay and rehabilitation progress between patients attending pre-operative class compared to those who did not attend.
The Pre-operative Joint Replacement Orientation class is designed to prepare patients for the complete experience of hip and knee replacement surgery. A collaborative PowerPoint presentation along with hands-on training provides patients the information necessary to transition smoothly through the joint replacement process from the pre-operative visit to discharge disposition. Although all patients are encouraged to attend the class prior to surgery, some choose not to attend. Through a retrospective data collection process, these authors assessed the effect of attending pre-operative orientation on patient outcomes related to length of stay, rehabilitation progress, and discharge disposition, as compared to those who did not attend. Attendance at the pre-operative orientation class appears to have positive effects on patient’s rehabilitation. Patients who attended the pre-operative orientation class demonstrated better achievement of targeted rehabilitation outcomes. These results may encourage future joint replacement patients to participate in pre-operative orientation, and it may provide support for other pre-surgical programs to adopt a similar orientation process.