DNP Scholarly Project Title
Preoperative education in lumbar fusion patients: Impact on postoperative disability perception
Date Approved
2021
Degree Type
Open Access Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Committee Member
Lydia McBurrows, DNP, Project Lead
Committee Member
Jennifer Sjostedt Avery, PhD, RN, GNP-BC
Committee Member
Delbert M. Raymond, PhD, RN
Committee Member
Paul Park, MD
Committee Member
Kelly Hornbacher
Abstract
Background/Review of Literature: A lumbar fusion is a complex surgical intervention with many postoperative guidelines and restrictions. Preparing patients with surgery specific education has shown to decrease their sense of disability and postoperative pain in other surgical specialties, but a disparity exists in spinal surgery.
Purpose: To examine the effect of a preoperative education class for lumbar fusion patients on their perceived level of disability, the number of patient phone calls made to the neurosurgery office, the number of postoperative emergency room (ER) visits, and the number of hospital readmissions after surgery.
Methods: A quality improvement project utilizing a quantitative quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, retrospective comparison group design using convenience sampling. All patients scheduled to undergo a lumbar fusion surgery were invited to a one-time, 1-hour, virtual education class conducted within 30 days prior to surgery. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was used to measure patients’ perceived level of disability related to their back pain, comparing preoperative and 1-month postoperative scores. Patient phone calls, postoperative ER visits, and hospital readmissions before and after the intervention were also tracked.
Results: There were no statistically significant findings in the outcomes, however, clinical significance was demonstrated with the raw data from the intervention group showing decreased postoperative ODI scores, decreased patient phone call numbers to clinic, and decreased ER and hospital readmissions.
Implications/Conclusion: Patient feedback on the class has been very positive. Neurosurgery leadership has requested this class continue for the benefit of the patients and to gather a larger sample size for further analysis.
Recommended Citation
Curtis, Megan, "Preoperative education in lumbar fusion patients: Impact on postoperative disability perception" (2021). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects. 1.
https://commons.emich.edu/dnp_projects/1