RESUMO
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of a standardized preoperative education program on self-care knowledge, performance, satisfaction, and physical recovery in the stomach cancer patients undergoing gastrectomy. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design was utilized and 63 participants who underwent gastrectomy (31 for experimental group, 32 for control group) were recruited at a university hospital from May to August 2015. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the groups in self-care knowledge (F=17.63, p<.001), performance (F=-9.25, p<.001) and satisfaction (F=-6.91, p<.001). Although the pain levels (F=974.57, p<.001) showed significant differences in each group and 3 time intervals (F=18.26, p<.001), there was no interaction of group and time (F=0.09, p=.917). The highest body temperature at 48 hours after surgery (F=1.32, p=.192), as well as presence of atelectasis (F=2.23, p=.213) indicating a chance of pulmonary complications, and the time of first gas pass (F=-1.05, p=.299), presence of paralytic ileus (F=0.13, p=.719) were not significantly differ. CONCLUSION: The preoperative education program developed in this study can be utilized as a part of nursing interventions and be beneficial to patients who undergo stomach cancer surgery for their thorough understanding.