Patients’ experiences from an education programme ahead of orthopaedic surgery - a qualitative study

Aims and objectives The objective of this study was to investigate how patient education in a surgical department was experienced by patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty. Background Total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty are two of the most common and clinically effective surgical treatments performed in the Western world. Patient education efforts related to these procedures have been studied, but usually only to evaluate clinical outcome and little in a patient perspective. Design The empirics consist of qualitative in-depth interviews with 11 patients admitted to the surgical department at a Norwegian hospital. The interviews were carried out in 2011. Methods The study has a qualitative design with a phenomenological approach. The data have been analysed through meaning condensation, in accordance with Amadeo Giorgi's four-step method. N = 11. Results The education programme made the patients feel mentally prepared for surgery and the postsurgical situation. Three themes were identified: (1) realistic information preparing for surgery, (2) involvement and sense of control and (3) trust in staff. Conclusion A relationship seems to exist between how informed patients feel and how much they trust the department in which they are undergoing treatment. There may also be a relationship between a sense of control and trust. Relevance to clinical practice To build a trustful relationship between healthcare providers and patients, patient education both in groups and individually should be implemented, and be designed in a way that supports trust. Information should be realistic and accurate.