ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the application value of co-management care pathway in elderly patients with thoracolumbar fractures.Methods:Totally, 104 elderly patients with thoracolumbar fractures were selected in Pingxiang No.2 People′s Hospital from January 2018 to August 2019. They were assigned to experimental group ( n=52) and control group ( n=52) by random number table method. The control group was given routine care, the experimental group implemented the intervention scheme of co-management care pathway on the basis of routine nursing. The effects were assessed by Elderly Frailty Assessment Scale and Barthel Index, respectively at 3 and 6 months after discharge. Results:Finally, 47 cases were included in the experimental group and 50 cases in the control group.After 3 months of intervention, the scores of Barthel Index were (71.87 ± 8.86) points in the experimental group, higher than in the control group (66.22 ± 8.99) points, the difference was statistically significant ( t=3.12, P<0.05). The scores of physiological and psychological frailty dimensions were (5.28 ± 1.06) points and (1.10 ± 0.25) points in the experimental group, lower than in the control group (5.78 ± 1.36) points and (1.27 ± 0.37) points, the difference was statistically significant ( t=2.04, 2.09, both P<0.05). After 6 months of intervention, the scores of physiological, psychological, cognitive dimensions and frailty total scores were (4.59 ± 1.17), (1.21 ± 0.44), (0.54 ± 0.14) points and (7.49 ± 1.21) points in the experimental group, lower than in the control group (5.24 ± 1.79), (1.49 ± 0.32), (0.67 ± 0.21) points and (8.51 ± 1.89) points, the differences were statistically significant ( t values were 2.11-3.51, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Co-management care pathway can effectively reduce the degree of frailty in elderly patients with thoracolumbar fractures, and improve the patients′ activities of daily living.