ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the efficacy of the clinical pathway in geriatric orthope-dics clinical teaching. Methods From March 2010 to December 2011, 80 clinical undergraduates, who practiced in the Department of Orthopedics in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medi-cal University, were equally randomized divided into two groups. One group was taught by the con-ventional methods and the other group was taught by the clinical pathway teaching. After the teaching, the theoretical exam and operational skill test were performed among students in both groups. SPSS 17.0 software was employed and the scores before and after the teaching and scores between two groups was analyzed by paired t-test(inspection level α=0.05). Results There was no significant difference in average scores between two groups before teaching(theoretical exam: P=0.81, operating skill test:P=0.65) while significant increases were observed in scores of theoretical exam and operational skill test after teaching (theoretical exam and operating skill test: P<0.05) and clinical pathway teaching group had higher scores than conventional teaching group (theoretical exam and operating skill test:P=0.02 and P=0.01). Conclusions Better effects can be achieved by clinical pathway approach re-garding geriatric orthopedics teaching.
ABSTRACT
The geriatric population tends to increase, worldwidely, and the same in orthopedic fields. In this age group, senile changes, both physical and mental, appear. In addition, psychiatric problems due to retirement from the job and changes of the role in his society and in the family, are included. The geriatric orthopedics is peculiar and its importance is increasing, which makes great demands on both medical and surgical skills as well as an enthusiastic teamwork. Fifty six patients over the age of 70, who were admitted and treated at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, between 1986 to 1987, were analysed. The results were as follows. 1. Thirth four patiens were female and twenty two were male. 2. The fracture was the most common cause, and degenerative arthritis, tumor are the next causes. 3. Operation was performed in 38 cases. 4. The associated diseases were hypertension, diabetes, U.T.I., renal failure, poor sight, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, which were more common than other age group. 5. Intra or postoperative complications were hypertension, liver function abnormalities, renal and respiratory failures and et al., which were also more common. 6. Old age is a major risk factor for surgery, but is not a contraindication, so careful evaluation and managements are needed, which can be done by specialized geriatric orthopedic team.