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Preoperative Education

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The SAGES / ERAS® Society Manual of Enhanced Recovery Programs for Gastrointestinal Surgery

Abstract

In order for an enhanced recovery program to be successful, it is necessary to include patients as informed participants in the process. Preoperative education should be provided by an interprofessional team, using clear communication and patient-friendly teaching materials. This has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve surgical outcomes. Preoperative patient education is an essential element in an enhanced recovery program. It has been associated with lower levels of anxiety (Alanazi, Br J Nurs 23(7):387–393, 2014) less postoperative pain, improved wound healing, and shorter hospitalization (Keicolt-Glaser et al., Am Psychol 53:1209–1218, 1998). Preoperative education provides patients with the tools they need to manage the stress of their surgical experience and become partners in their own recovery.

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Key References

  • Weiss B. Health literacy: a manual for clinicians. Chicago, IL: American Medical Association and American Medical Association Foundation; 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wizowski L, Harper T, Hutchings T. Writing health information for patients and families: a guide to creating patient education materials that are easy to read, understand and use. 3rd ed. Hamilton: Hamilton Health Sciences; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborne H. Health literacy from A to Z: practical ways to communicate your health message. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houts PS, Doak CC, Doak LG, et al. The role of pictures in improving health communication: a review of research on attention, comprehension, recall, and adherence. Patient Educ Couns. 2006;61:173–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nursing, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Deborah J. Watson R.N., B.Sc.N.

  2. Department of Nursing, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Elizabeth A. Davis R.N., M.S.N.

Authors
  1. Deborah J. Watson R.N., B.Sc.N.
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  2. Elizabeth A. Davis R.N., M.S.N.
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Surgery Steinberg-Bernstein Chair in Minimally Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University, Health Centre, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Liane S. Feldman

  2. Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Conor P. Delaney

  3. Faculty of Medicine and Health School of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Surgery Örebro University Örebro; Affiliated Professor of Surgery Metabolism and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Olle Ljungqvist

  4. Department of Anesthesia, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Francesco Carli

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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Watson, D.J., Davis, E.A. (2015). Preoperative Education. In: Feldman, L., Delaney, C., Ljungqvist, O., Carli, F. (eds) The SAGES / ERAS® Society Manual of Enhanced Recovery Programs for Gastrointestinal Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20364-5_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20364-5_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-20363-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-20364-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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