ABSTRACT
Fast-track or enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways are evidence-based perioperative guides that promote stress reduction and earlier return to function following surgery. They emphasize preoperative counseling, nutrition optimization, analgesia standardization, fluid and electrolyte balance, minimally invasive approaches, and early ambulation. Although ERAS pathways were implemented in 2016 on a 43-bed postoperative colorectal medical-surgical unit, inpatient stays remained beyond the projected two-day length of stay (LOS). A quality improvement team was formed and an eight-week pilot project was initiated in 2018. The project included the implementation of a laminated bedside goals-to-discharge checklist in the immediate postoperative period.
Subject(s)
Checklist , Colorectal Neoplasms/surgery , Enhanced Recovery After Surgery/standards , Goals , Patient Discharge/standards , Postoperative Care/standards , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Aged , Curriculum , Education, Nursing, Continuing , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot ProjectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Animal-facilitated therapy (AFT) is a complementary medicine intervention. To the authors' knowledge, no study has investigated the benefits of an AFT program in an adult surgical oncology setting. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of an AFT program on patients and staff on a surgical oncology unit. METHODS: A quasiexperimental design was used for the patient group, and a pre-/post-test design was used for the staff group. The intervention involved the AFT program being fully integrated on a surgical inpatient unit. Outcomes included patient-reported symptoms and quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes for patients, as well as professional QOL for staff. FINDINGS: QOL indicators improved for all patients, and the level of energy at follow-up was significantly higher in the AFT group after adjusting for baseline. For staff, compassion satisfaction was high and burnout was low.
