Self-care nursing procedures reduced overall postoperative complication incidence significantly (p=0.003) and shortened hospital stay by 2.44 days compared to standard care in older adults after total hip arthroplasty.
Retrospective Cohort (n=130)
Single-blind (data analysts)
No
Does add-on self-care improve postoperative recovery and reduce complications in older patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty?
Self-care-based nursing procedures effectively enhance postoperative recovery, reduce complications, and shorten hospital stays in older adults after total hip arthroplasty.
Effect estimate: p=0.003 for overall incidence comparison (lower in self-care group)
p-value: p=0.003
Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common surgical treatment for advanced hip disorders, particularly in older adults. However, postoperative recovery in this population is often complicated by comorbidities, prolonged immobilization, and reduced self-efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of self-care–based nursing procedures, grounded in Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Theory, in improving postoperative recovery, reducing complications, and promoting early mobilization among older patients undergoing THA. This retrospective study included 130 older adults who underwent THA between September 2020 and September 2022. Patients were divided into a self-care group (n = 66) and a control group (n = 64). The self-care group received routine nursing plus structured self-care education, while the control group received standard care alone. Primary outcomes included postoperative pain, hip function (Harris Hip Score), activities of daily living (Barthel Index), and incidence of complications. Secondary outcomes included hospital stay duration and time to first ambulation. The self-care group had significantly fewer postoperative complications (p = 0.003), lower pain scores (p < 0.01), shorter hospitalization (p < 0.001), and earlier first ambulation (p < 0.001) than the control group. Both hip function and activities of daily living improved in all patients, but the self-care group showed significantly greater gains (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) at discharge and at three-month follow-up. Self-care–based nursing procedures effectively enhance postoperative recovery in older adults after THA. They reduce complications, alleviate pain, shorten hospital stay, and facilitate early mobilization. These findings underscore the value of incorporating structured self-care strategies into standard orthopedic nursing practice to improve functional outcomes and overall recovery. not applicable.
Wu et al. (Sat,) conducted a retrospective cohort in Older adults (≥60 years) undergoing first-time total hip arthroplasty who were medically fit and cognitively intact (n=130). Self-care-based nursing procedures (add-on to routine nursing) vs. Standard routine nursing care alone was evaluated on Overall postoperative complications incidence during hospitalization (p=0.003 for overall incidence comparison (lower in self-care group), p=0.003). Self-care nursing procedures reduced overall postoperative complication incidence significantly (p=0.003) and shortened hospital stay by 2.44 days compared to standard care in older adults after total hip arthroplasty.