The Role of Nurse Practitioners in Surgical Settings Across the Perioperative Trajectory: A Comparative Study on Patient-Centered Outcomes

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are increasingly integrated into surgical care teams, complementing traditional surgical roles. However, the relationship between their involvement and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), such as pain and anxiety, remains understudied. Purpose: To examine the types of care from NPs in surgical units during the perioperative period and evaluate their association with length of stay, pain, and anxiety. Methods: Our prospective comparative study in two surgical units at a tertiary medical center included 315 patients: 156 received care from NPs, and 159 received usual care. Data were collected at three time points: post-operative day one (T0), during hospitalization (T1), and 14 days post-discharge (T2). Measures included the Brief Pain Inventory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and an intervention checklist completed by the NPs. Findings: NPs performed primarily in-hospital interventions including care coordination (40%) and medication management (44%). Patients treated by NPs reported significantly lower in-hospital anxiety compared to usual care (p = 0.001). The length of stay and pain levels were not significantly associated with NP care. Discussion: NPs in surgical settings provide patient-centered care associated with lower in-hospital anxiety. Further research is recommended to validate these findings in diverse settings.