Post-Discharge Learning Needs of Patients Who Had Undergone Orthopedic Surgery

Objective: The purpose of this descriptive and cross-sectional type of research was; to determine the post-discharge learning needs of patients undergoing orthopedic surgery.

Materials and Methods: This research was conducted between 20 March and 20 June 2021 with 150 patients who underwent orthopedic surgery for the first time in a public hospital in Central Anatolia. In the collection of data, ''Sociodemographic and Introductory Features Information Form'' and ''Patients Learning Needs Scale (PLNS)’’ were used. The data were collected by face-to-face interview technique 24-48 hours before the patients were discharged. The data were analyzed and evaluated by descriptive statistics (number, percentage, mean), t test in independent groups and analysis of variance.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 55.07±17.010, 54.7% were primary school graduates and 58.7% were female. Total knee arthroplasty was applied to 54.7% of the patients. It was determined that 40.0% of the patients received discharge training. The mean scale total score of the patients was 211.520±28.120. The most important learning need for patients is the treatment-complications and the least important learning need is the feelings related to the situation. It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between the education level of the patients and the sub-dimension of treatment-complications (p=0.035); between the previous hospitalization status and the medications (p=0.039); between the elective or emergency surgery status and the activities of living (p=0.001), skin care (p=0.011),  quality of life (p=0.000), feelings related to condition (p=0.024), treatment-complications (p=0.047) and scale total score (p=0.003); between the surgery performed and the activities of living and quality of life (p=0.011). The most important learning need of the patients was determined as the need for the answer to the question "What are the problems that may develop due to my disease?" (Significance level: level:4.726±0.611).

Conclusion: It was determined that the learning needs of the orthopedic patients were high. Nurses are advised that when planning and training discharge training for patients, they consider the sequences of learning needs that ’that when planning and training discharge training for patients, they consider the sequences of learning needs that patients find most important.