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Abstract Aim Patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery lack sufficient post-operative after-care instruction from the surgical team to facilitate recovery and reduce re-presentation. Our project aims to evaluate the impact of a standardised post-operative care leaflet compared to existing methods. Method A needs analysis was conducted via semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals to explore existing procedures. From this, we produced a leaflet detailing important information surrounding post-operative care, addressing FAQs and red flags. Eighteen patients were presented with the leaflet pre-discharge and invited to collate questions for the surgical team based on its content. Patients were surveyed before and after reviewing the leaflet, including estimating confidence levels on completing activities of daily living and seeking help post-discharge. Results Needs analysis suggested a leaflet would relieve time pressure on the surgical team to relay instruction verbally and facilitate faster safe discharge. Following our intervention, 93% of patients felt confident in managing at home on discharge (an increase of 46%, p0.05). Notably, patients also felt better prepared to manage bowel movements and recognise when to seek additional help; both factors aligned with the needs analysis findings. 94% of patients wanted the leaflet as part of their care plan, citing reasons such as increased awareness, health empowerment, practicality, and pictorial references. Conclusions Patients perceive existing after-care information to be insufficient. The implementation of a post-operative advice leaflet for patients following laparoscopy, arms them with the knowledge and safety nets needed for speedy recovery. It additionally benefits staff as a time-saving device, by providing an efficient framework for after-care discussion.
Ravikumar et al. (Mon,) studied this question.