SPOTLIGHT: Mary Downey, RN
Perioperative Services and Quality Improvement Analyst
Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital
Type of project: Quality Improvement
Title of project: Surgical Passport: Preparing Families for Pediatric Surgery
Description of project:
Background: Pediatric patients and families have difficulty understanding the dynamics of the surgical process. This confusion can result in stress, anxiety, and decreased satisfaction for families; additionally it may result in cancelation of surgery due to noncompliance with fasting or Nil Per Os (NPO) instructions contributing to increased healthcare costs. Pre-operative education is one strategy that may improve understanding and emotional stress associated with the childs surgery and decreased numbers of canceled surgery cases.
Purpose: Increasing families understanding of the surgical process will improve compliance to NPO guidelines and satisfaction with the surgical experience utilizing an educational brochure- The Surgical Passport.
Methods: The surgical passport is an educational tool developed to teach families the stages of the surgical process, to increase compliance with fasting requirements and is given at the pre-operative surgeons clinic visit. The passport provides information to guide families through each step of the process, the pre-hospital preparation (fasting and medications to hold), admission, surgery, recovery and discharge from the hospital. Satisfaction data and compliance with NPO guidelines were collected prior to and after the implementation of the Surgical Passport. The satisfaction data were measured with Professional Research Consultants post-surgical-phone-survey and included questions on education, team work and over all experience.
Results: There was a decrease in canceled cases due to NPO violations (preN-55, postN-36) and prohibited medications (preN-36, postN-27) after the surgical passport was instituted.
Conclusion: This process and intervention can be adapted for use in other surgical and procedural areas.
Why you chose this project:
Pediatric patients and families have difficulty understanding the dynamics of the surgical process. This confusion can result in stress, anxiety, and decreased satisfaction for families; additionally it may result in cancelation of surgery due to noncompliance with fasting or Nil Per Os (NPO) instructions contributing to increased healthcare costs. Pre-operative education is one strategy that may improve understanding and emotional stress associated with the childs surgery and decreased numbers of canceled surgery cases.
Poster Presentation:
Surgical Passport: Preparing Families for Pediatric Surgery, AORN National Conference, February 2014, Chicago, IL
Grant funding for project:
ARON foundation Grant
Friends and Family of Childrens Hospital
Implications of findings for nurses or recommendations for future research:
There was a decrease in canceled cases due to NPO violations and prohibited medications after the surgical passport was instituted. This process and intervention can be adapted for use in other surgical and procedural areas as a cost effective way to provide education to patients and families.
Mary Downey, RN
Perioperative Services and Quality Improvement Analyst
Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital
615-936-0027