Pre- and post-operative visiting by theatre nurses

Abstract

The practice of pre-operative and postoperative visiting by theatre nurses was reviewed with particular reference to historical and current usage and to benefits resulting from such visits. and problems The value of pre-operative and postoperative visiting within the Maltese hospital environment was assessed by a series of semistructured drawn from interviews with three different thirty wards. patients The data from these interviews was analysed on the basis of the different experiences of patients and contrasting reactions to pre-operative and post-operative visiting. This preliminary study indicated that such visits appear to produce a better informed patient in a better position to cope with the after-effects of the surgical intervention and to increase the confidence of the patient to face the operation. Although these visits make considerable demands on the time of the theatre nurse, it was felt that such visits result in increased job satisfaction. Before such visits are introduced into Maltese hospitals there is a need for further evaluation of the benefits and problems.