Patient participation in orthopaedic care-a survey on hip surgery patients' preferences for and experiences of engagement in their health and healthcare.

INTRODUCTION: Quality in health services is increasingly associated with enabling patients to participate in their own health and healthcare by recognising their resources and needs. Despite a growing recognition as to whether such participation is enabled, little is known regarding opportunities for preference-based patient participation in orthopaedic care. AIMS: To investigate preference-based participation for patients in orthopaedic care due to hip surgery. METHODS: Patients across 17 Swedish orthopaedic units who had had hip surgery, due to hip fracture or osteoarthritis, January-April 2021 were invited to complete the validated 4Ps questionnaire. Of 1514 patients, 458 patients returned the questionnaire with reports on their preferences for and experiences of participation. Each of the 4Ps' 12 items were analysed separately using descriptive and comparative statistics. RESULTS: A complete match in preferences for, and experiences of, participation was achieved with variation between items for 41%-50% of the patients; if almost matches were included, this occurred for 57%-77% of the patients. Less participation than preferred was most common in terms of having had reciprocal communication, opportunities for partaking in planning, and in learning how to manage symptoms/issues. Hip fracture surgery was significantly associated with experiencing lower levels of participation than preferred. CONCLUSION: Though standardised care promotes efficient hip surgery care, our study suggests a need for more person-centred opportunities to engage. A discrepancy was noted between patients' resources and preparation for their participation in and beyond the hip surgery process, particularly for self-care activities, calling for better use of nursing resources. ID: NCT04700969 with the U.S National Institutes of Health Clinical Registry.

Adherence to evidence-based guidelines for prevention of urinary retention in hip surgery patients: a multicentre observational study.

Urinary retention is a healthcare complication putting patients at risk of unnecessary suffering and harm. Orthopaedic patients are known to face an increased such risk, calling for evidence-based preoperative assessment and corresponding measures to prevent bladder problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate healthcare professionals' adherence to risk assessment guidelines for urinary retention in hip surgery patients. This was an observational study from January 2021 to April 2021 with a descriptive and comparative design, triangulating three data sources: (I) Medical records for 1382 hip surgery patients across 17 hospitals in Sweden were reviewed for preoperative risk assessments for urinary retention and voiding-related variables at discharge; (II) The patients completed a survey regarding postoperative lower urinary tract symptoms, and; (III) data were extracted from a national quality registry regarding type of surgery, preoperative physical status, and perioperative urinary complications. Group differences were analysed with Chi-square/Fisher's exact test, t-test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, or Mann-Whitney U-test. Logistic regression was used to analyse variables associated with completed risk assessments for urinary retention. Of all study participants, 23.4% (n = 323) had a preoperative documented risk assessment of urinary retention. Whether a risk assessment was performed was significantly associated with acute surgery [odds ratio (OR) 3.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.48-5.12] and undergoing surgery at an academic hospital (OR 4.59, 95% CI 2.68-7.85). Acute patients were more often affected by urinary retention and had bladder issues and/or an indwelling catheter at discharge. More than every tenth patient (11. 9%, n = 53) completing the survey experienced intensified bladder problems after their hip surgery. The study shows a lack of adherence to risk assessment for urinary retention according to evidence-based guidelines, which negatively affects quality of care and patient safety.

Adverse Events of Peripherally Administered Norepinephrine During Surgery: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative treatment of hypotension by intravenous administration of norepinephrine in a peripheral vein can lead to adverse events, for example, tissue necrosis. However, the incidence and severity of adverse events during perioperative administration are unknown. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study conducted at 3 Swedish hospitals from 2019 to 2022. A total of 1004 patients undergoing surgery, who met the criteria for perioperative peripheral norepinephrine administration, were included. The infusion site was inspected regularly. If swelling or paleness of skin was detected, the infusion site was changed to a different peripheral line. Systolic blood pressure and pulse frequency were monitored during the infusion time and defined as adverse events at >220 mm Hg and <40 beats•min -1 . In case of adverse events, patients were observed for up to 48 hours. The primary outcome was prevalence of extravasation, defined as swelling around the infusion site. Secondary outcomes were all types of adverse events and associations between predefined clinical variables and risk of adverse events. RESULTS: We observed 2.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4%-3.2%) extravasation of infusion and 0.9% (95% CI, 0.4%-1.7%) bradycardia. No cases of tissue necrosis or severe hypertension were detected. All adverse events had dissipated spontaneously within 48 hours. Proximal catheter placement was associated with more adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Extravasation of peripherally administrated norepinephrine in the perioperative period occurred at similar rates as in previous studies in critically ill patients. In our setting, where we regularly inspected the infusion site and shifted site in case of swelling or paleness of skin, we observed no case of severe adverse events. Given that severe adverse events were absent, the potential benefit of this preventive approach requires confirmation in a larger population.

Patients' experiences of urinary retention and bladder care - A qualitative study in orthopaedic care.

BACKGROUND: Urinary retention is a common complication associated with hip surgery. There are easily available, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines prescribing how to prevent both urinary retention and other voiding issues, by means of bladder monitoring and risk assessments. A detected lack of adherence to such guidelines increases risks for unnecessary suffering among patients but a greater understanding of patients' experiences can benefit tailored interventions to address quality and safety gaps in orthopaedic nursing and rehabilitation. PURPOSE: The aim was to describe patients' experiences of urinary retention, bladder issues, and bladder care in orthopaedic care due to hip surgery. METHOD: This was a qualitative study with a descriptive design: content analysis with an inductive approach was applied to interviews (n = 32) and survey free-text responses (n = 122) across 17 orthopaedic units in Sweden. RESULTS: The patients had received no or limited details for the recurrent bladder care interventions (such as bladder scans and prompted voiding) while at the hospital. They relied on the staff for safe procedures but were left to themselves to manage and comprehend prevailing bladder issues. Despite the patients' experiences of bladder issues or the risk of urinary retention postoperatively, the link to hip surgery remained unknown to the patients, leaving them searching for self-management strategies and further care. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' perspectives on bladder care, urinary retention and bladder issues can serve as a means for increased understanding of procedures and issues, reinforcing improved implementation of guidelines, including person-centred information. Safer bladder procedures imply further patient engagement, highlighted in guidelines.

Patient Related Outcomes After Receiving a Person Centred Nurse Led Follow Up Programme Among Patients Undergoing Revascularisation for Intermittent Claudication: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the effect of a person centred nurse led follow up programme on health related quality of life (HRQoL), health literacy, and general self efficacy compared with standard care for patients undergoing revascularisation for intermittent claudication (IC), and to describe factors associated with HRQoL one year after revascularisation. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. Patients with IC scheduled for revascularisation at two vascular surgery centres in Sweden between 2016 and 2018 were randomised to intervention or control. During the first year after surgery, the intervention group received a person centred follow up programme with three visits and two telephone calls with a vascular nurse, while the control group received standard follow up with two visits to a vascular surgeon or vascular nurse. Outcomes were HRQoL measured by VascuQol-6, health literacy, and general self efficacy measured by validated questionnaires. RESULTS: Overall, 214 patients were included in the trial; this secondary analysis comprised 183 patients who completed the questionnaires. One year after revascularisation, HRQoL had improved with a mean increase in VascuQol-6 of 7.0 scale steps (95% CI 5.9 - 8.0) for the intervention and 6.0 scale steps (95% CI 4.9 - 7.0) for the control group; the difference between the groups was not significant (p = .18). In an adjusted regression analysis, the intervention was associated with higher VascuQoL-6 (2.0 scale steps, 95% CI 0.08 - 3.93). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding health literacy or general self efficacy. The prevalence of insufficient health literacy among all participants was 38.7% (46/119) at baseline and 43.2% (51/118) at one year. CONCLUSION: In this study, a person centred, nurse led follow up programme had no significant impact on HRQoL, health literacy, or general self efficacy among patients undergoing revascularisation for IC. The prevalence of insufficient health literacy was high and should be addressed by healthcare givers and researchers.

Effects of a person-centred, nurse-led follow-up programme on adherence to prescribed medication among patients surgically treated for intermittent claudication: randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Management of intermittent claudication should include secondary prevention to reduce the risk of cardiocerebrovascular disease. Patient adherence to secondary prevention is a challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a person-centred, nurse-led follow-up programme could improve adherence to medication compared with standard care. METHODS: A non-blinded RCT was conducted at two vascular surgery centres in Sweden. Patients with intermittent claudication and scheduled for revascularization were randomized to the intervention or control (standard care) follow-up programme. The primary outcome, adherence to prescribed secondary preventive medication, was based on registry data on dispensed medication and self-reported intake of medication. Secondary outcomes were risk factors for cardiocerebrovascular disease according to the Framingham risk score. RESULTS: Some 214 patients were randomized and analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The mean proportion of days covered (PDC) at 1 year for lipid-modifying agents was 79 per cent in the intervention and 82 per cent in the control group, whereas it was 92 versus 91 per cent for antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant agents. The groups did not differ in mean PDC (lipid-modifying P = 0.464; antiplatelets and/or anticoagulants P = 0.700) or in change in adherence over time. Self-reported adherence to prescribed medication was higher than registry-based adherence regardless of allocation or medication group (minimum P < 0.001, maximum P = 0.034). There was no difference in median Framingham risk score at 1 year between the groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with the standard follow-up programme, a person-centred, nurse-led follow-up programme did not improve adherence to secondary preventive medication. Adherence was overestimated when self-reported compared with registry-reported.

Increasing patients' awareness of their own health: Experiences of participating in follow-up programs after surgical treatment for intermittent claudication.

INTRODUCTION: Claudication is the most usual symptom of peripheral artery disease, it is described as painful contractions in the leg when walking and alleviated upon resting. People with claudication have an added risk of cardiocerebrovascular events, amputation, and death. Adherence to medical treatment and changes in lifestyles can lower this risk, but this secondary prevention therapy requires engagement, participation, and adherence from the patient. OBJECTIVE: To explore patients' experiences of participating in a 1-year multicentre clinical trial with two follow-up programs evaluating a nurse-led, patient-centered health-promoting programme after surgical treatment for claudication, the FASTIC study. METHODS: A descriptive design with qualitative semi-structured interviews was used among participants in the FASTIC study. The study was conducted at two centres for vascular surgery in the city of Stockholm, Sweden. In all, 17 patients (nine men and eight women) who had completed the FASTIC study participated. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. RESULTS: Two main categories were identified, 'Patient-Professional collaboration' and 'Experience of one´s health', which were associated with four subcategories: facing opportunities and obstacles, cooperating based on the illness experience, increasing awareness of one's own health, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' participation in follow-up programs after surgical treatment for claudication is highly valuable for an increased awareness of one's own health. A person-centered care with patient-professional collaboration is experienced as important for maintaining a health-promoting lifestyle.

The role of ventilatory support for long-term outcomes after critical infection with COVID-19: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The full range of long-term health consequences in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors with COVID-19 is unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of ventilatory support for long-term pulmonary impairment in critically ill patients and further to identify risk factors for prolonged radiological recovery. METHODS: A prospective observational study from a single general hospital, including all with COVID-19 admitted to ICU between March and August 2020, investigating the association between ventilatory support and the extent of residual parenchymal changes on chest computed tomography (CT) scan and measurement of lung volumes at follow-up comparing high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) or non-invasive ventilation (NIV) with invasive ventilation. A semi-quantitative score (CT involvement score) based on lobar involvement and a total score for all five lobes was used to estimate residual parenchymal changes. The association was calculated with logistic regression and adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and severity of illness. RESULTS: Among the 187 eligible, 86 had a chest CT scan and 76 a pulmonary function test at the follow-up with a median time of 6 months after ICU discharge. Residual lung changes were seen in 74%. The extent of pulmonary changes was similar regardless of ventilatory support, but patients with invasive ventilation had a lower total lung capacity 84% versus 92% of predicted (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of ICU-treated patients with COVID-19 had residual lung changes at 6 months of follow-up regardless of ventilator support or not, but the total lung capacity was lower in those treated with invasive ventilation.

Onset PrevenTIon of urinary retention in Orthopaedic Nursing and rehabilitation, OPTION-a study protocol for a randomised trial by a multi-professional facilitator team and their first-line managers' implementation strategy.

BACKGROUND: The Onset PrevenTIon of urinary retention in Orthopaedic Nursing and rehabilitation, OPTION, project aims to progress knowledge translation vis-à-vis evidence-based bladder monitoring in orthopaedic care, to decrease the risk of urinary retention, and voiding complications. Urinary retention is common whilst in hospital for hip surgery. If not properly identified and managed, there is a high risk of complications, some lifelong and life threatening. Although evidence-based guidelines are available, the implementation is lagging. METHODS: Twenty orthopaedic sites are cluster randomised into intervention and control sites, respectively. The intervention sites assemble local facilitator teams among nursing and rehabilitation staff, including first-line managers. The teams receive a 12-month support programme, including face-to-face events and on-demand components to map and bridge barriers to guideline implementation, addressing leadership behaviours and de-implementation of unproductive routines. All sites have access to the guidelines via a public healthcare resource, but the control sites have no implementation support. Baseline data collection includes structured assessments of urinary retention procedures via patient records, comprising incidence and severity of voiding issues and complications, plus interviews with managers and staff, and surveys to all hip surgery patients with interviews across all sites. Further assessments of context include the Alberta Context Tool used with staff, the 4Ps tool for preference-based patient participation used with patients, and data on economic aspects of urinary bladder care. During the implementation intervention, all events are recorded, and the facilitators keep diaries. Post intervention, the equivalent data collections will be repeated twice, and further data will include experiences of the intervention and guideline implementation. Data will be analysed with statistical analyses, including comparisons before and after, and between intervention and control sites. The qualitative data are subjected to content analysis, and mixed methods are applied to inform both clinical outcomes and the process evaluation, corresponding to a hybrid design addressing effectiveness, experiences, and outcomes. DISCUSSION: The OPTION trial has a potential to account for barriers and enablers for guideline implementation in the orthopaedic context in general and hip surgery care in particular. Further, it may progress the understanding of implementation leadership by dyads of facilitators and first-line managers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered as NCT04700969 with the U.S. National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Registry on 8 January 2021, that is, prior to the baseline data collection.

The impact of guidelines on sterility precautions during indwelling urethral catheterization at two acute-care hospitals in Sweden - a descriptive survey.

BACKGROUND: To support a uniform and evidence-based practice for indwelling urinary catheterization in adults The European association of Urology Nurses (EAUN) published guidelines for this procedure in 2012. The Swedish national guidelines are based on the sterility precautions advocated by EAUN. Some hospitals have local guidelines with other requirements concerning sterility and leave to staff to decide how to perform the catheterization. The aim of this descriptive survey was to investigate the nurses´ self-reported sterility precautions during indwelling urethral catheterization at two acute-care hospitals, where the local guidelines differ in their sterility requirements. The study also aimed to analyze factors affecting conformity with sterility precautions in the EAUN-guidelines. METHODS: A structured questionnaire with questions concerning the participant, working conditions and performance of indwelling urethral catheterization was left to 931 nurses in two acute care hospitals. Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used for descriptive statistics. Logistic regression was used to analyze variables associated with practicing the sterility precautions in the EAUN-guidelines. RESULTS: Answers were obtained from 852 persons (91.5%). Most of the participants called their insertion technique "non-sterile". Regardless of designation of the technique the participants said that the indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) should be kept sterile during procedure. Despite that not everyone used sterile equipment to maintain sterility of the catheter. The nurses´ conformity with all the sterility precautions in the EAUN-guidelines were associated with working at departments for surgery and cardiology (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.69-3.27), use of sterile set for catheterization (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.42-2.97), use of sterile drapes for dressing on insertion area (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.24-2.96) and using the term "sterile technique" for indwelling urethral catheterization (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.11-2.43). CONCLUSIONS: Only 55-74% of the nurses practiced one or more precautions that secured sterility of the IUC thus demonstrating a gap between the EAUN-guidelines and the actual performance. Adherence to the guidelines was associated with factors that facilitated an aseptic performance such as using a sterile set and sterile drapes. Healthcare-settings should ensure education and skill training including measures to ensure that the IUC is kept sterile during insertion.

Follow-up after surgical treatment for intermittent claudication (FASTIC): a study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent claudication (IC) is a classic symptom of peripheral arterial disease, and strongly associated with coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Treatment of IC and secondary prevention of vascular events include best medical treatment (BMT), changes in lifestyle, most importantly smoking cessation and increased physical exercise, and in appropriate cases surgery. A person-centred and health promotion approach might facilitate breaking barriers to lifestyle changes and increasing adherence to secondary prevention therapy. The FASTIC study aims to evaluate a nurse-led, person-centred, health-promoting follow-up programme compared with standard follow-up by a vascular surgeon after surgical treatment for IC. METHODS: The FASTIC-study is a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial. Patients will be recruited from two hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden after surgical treatment of IC through open and/or endovascular revascularisation and will be randomly assigned into two groups. The intervention group is offered a nurse-led, person-centred, health-promoting programme, which includes two telephone calls and three visits to a vascular nurse the first year after surgical treatment. The control group is offered standard care, which consists of a visit to a vascular surgeon 4-8 weeks after surgery and a visit to the outpatient clinic 1 year after surgical treatment. The primary outcome is adherence to BMT 1 year after surgical treatment and will be measured using The Swedish Prescribed Drug Registry. Clinical assessments, biomarkers, and questionnaires will be used to evaluate several secondary outcomes, such as predicted 10-year risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, health-related quality of life, and patients' perceptions of care quality. DISCUSSION: The FASTIC study will provide important information about interventions aimed at improving adherence to medication, which is an unexplored field among patients with IC. The study will also contribute to knowledge on how to implement person-centred care in a clinical context. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.govNCT03283358, registration date 06/13/2016.

Preoperative ultrasound monitoring can reduce postoperative bladder distension: a randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore whether close preoperative ultrasound monitoring starting in the emergency room (ER) could prevent postoperative bladder distension among acute orthopaedic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at a 650-bed level-2 centre in Sweden. Inclusion criteria were admittance via ER to an orthopaedic ward for acute surgery. Bladder volumes were measured with a portable ultrasound scanner (Bladderscan BVI 3000). In the intervention group, all patients were scanned in the ER and then regularly at the ward at predefined times until surgery. In the control group, no regular scanning was performed before surgery. During surgery, the same procedure was performed for both groups: bladder scanning immediately after arrival to the recovery room and continuous postoperative scanning until voiding. The primary outcome was postoperative bladder distension, defined as a bladder volume ≥500 ml. Secondary outcomes were postoperative urinary tract infection and hospital length of stay. RESULTS: A total of 281 patients completed the study, 141 in the intervention group and 140 in the control group. Postoperative bladder distension was significantly higher in the control group (27.1% vs 17.0%; p = 0.045, 95% confidence interval 4.9-19.8) in the intention-to-treat, per-protocol and as-treated analyses. No statistical difference was found between the intervention group and the control group regarding the secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent bladder monitoring starting in the ER can reduce postoperative bladder distension among acute orthopaedic patients. A preoperative bladder monitoring protocol should be implemented early in the ER for all patients admitted for acute orthopaedic procedures.

Perioperative bladder distension: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative urinary retention and bladder distension are frequent complications of surgery. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of perioperative bladder distension in a surgical setting and to identify predisposing factors among patients undergoing common general and orthopaedic procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective observational study of 147 adult patients admitted to orthopaedic and surgical departments. Bladder volumes were measured with an ultrasound scanner on three occasions: after emptying the bladder before being transported to the operating theatre, and then immediately before and after surgery. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients (22%) developed bladder distension (>500 ml), eight preoperatively and 25 postoperatively. A total of 21 patients (14%) had a bladder volume >300 ml immediately before surgery. Orthopaedic patients were more likely to develop preoperative bladder distension than surgical patients and had significantly higher postvoid residual volumes. In the binary logistic regression analysis age, gender and time of anaesthesia could not predict bladder distension. Patients undergoing orthopaedic surgical procedures, however, were prone to bladder distension (odds ratio 6.87, 95% confidence interval 1.76 to 26.79, p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that orthopaedic surgical patients are more prone to bladder distension perioperatively. The conventional method of encouraging patients to void at the ward before being transported to the operating theatre does not necessarily mean an empty bladder at the start of the operation.