https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4244-1432
Abstract
Purpose
Information regarding patients’ needs, fears and experiences/perceptions in the perioperative setting is limited. Through two focus groups, we explored the needs, fears and experiences of patients who had recently undergone, or were scheduled for, surgery under general anaesthesia, with regard to the entire perioperative process.
Materials and Methods
Adults were invited to participate in a focus group if they had (a) undergone abdominal or gynaecological surgery with general anaesthesia in the past 4 months (focus group 1) or (b) been indicated for abdominal or gynaecological surgery and were waiting for the assigned surgery date (focus group 2). Discussions were audio recorded and, through thematic analysis, patients’ needs and experiences/perceptions regarding perioperative surgical stages were obtained/coded. Analysis of code co-occurrence was performed using a codes matrix.
Results
Focus groups consisted of 13 females, 1 male (50% aged >45 years). The immediate postoperative period generated the highest number of co-occurrences, followed by the indication of surgery. The most frequent code was the need for information, especially at the indication of surgery, the pre-anaesthesia clinic and in the postoperative period. Fears were described particularly at the indication of surgery, the waiting period, the surgical room, anaesthesia induction and the postoperative period, particularly after hospital discharge; pain was cited most commonly in the postoperative period. Stress/anxiety and emotional impact were also cited in the postoperative period including home arrival.
Conclusion
Information collected in these patients’ focus groups should inform future research and healthcare planning. Patients demand receiving more comprehensive and understandable information and more involvement in several steps; this could reduce fears and stress/anxiety described across the perioperative process. Importantly, findings also extend to the postoperative period and home arrival.
Ethics Approval
The study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of Getafe, Madrid, Spain.
Patient Consent
All patients provided signed informed consent to participate in the focus groups and for audio recording.
Acknowledgments
This study was endorsed by the Confederation of Patients with Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis of Spain and by the Spanish SENSAR group (Safety Reporting System in Anesthesia and Resuscitation). Under the guidance of the authors, medical writing support was provided by David P. Figgitt PhD, ISMPP CMPP™ and Steve P. Clissold PhD, ISMPP CMPP™, Content Ed Net, with funding from Merck Sharp & Dohme Spain, a subsidiary of Merck & Co. Inc, Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA.
Author Contributions
All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Disclosure
José M de Pedro and Luis Cea-Calvo are full-time employees of Merck Sharp & Dohme Spain. Milena Gobbo reports personal fees from MSD, during the conduct of the study; personal fees from Sanofi, Pfizer, Abbvie, Sandoz, outside the submitted work. Roberto Saldaña reports grants from MSD, during the conduct of the study; grants from MSD, Abbvie, Janssen, Pfizer, Roche, Dr. Falk, Ferring, and Takeda, outside the submitted work. María I García-Vega reports personal fees from MSD, during the conduct of the study. The rest of the authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.