[Perioperative nursing education and client satisfaction: an observational study]

Nowadays, an important goal has been reached in recognizing that the client plays a central role in the caring process. The educational relationship that is created between nurses and patients makes it possible to make the patient aware of his health problems and to understand and actively participate in the caring process. The main aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the teaching process undertaken by nurses , before discharging surgical patients , for rendering patients autonomous once they returned home and their level of "satisfaction" regarding the information they received. For this purpose they were asked to fill in a questionnaire when they returned for their first outpatient control. Results showed that, on the whole, patients were satisfied with the information they received during hospitalization, particularly in terms of postoperative pain, prevention of infections, medical therapy, mobilization and a return to normal eating and drinking. Some aspects still need to be improved regarding a post-discharge phone contact and better hospital-territorial integration.