Patient experiences during the planned perioperative care pathway: An integrative review

Abstract

Aims: This integrative review aimed to synthesize evidence about the patients' experiences during the planned perioperative care pathway.

Design: Integrative review.

Data sources: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline Ovid, Scopus, and American Psychological Association (APA) PsychINFO. Original, peer-reviewed studies published in English between 2012 and 2023 exploring patient experiences during the planned perioperative care pathway were reviewed.

Methods: This review was guided by the Whittemore and Knafl method and followed PRISMA guidelines to search the literature. Twenty-two articles were selected for the final study.

Results: Three themes emerged: Sharing of information is empowering; interpersonal relationships are valued by patients, and hospital systems and care co-ordination influence the patient experience.

Conclusions: The quality and consistency of the information patients receive can both support and undermine patient confidence in health professionals. The quality of relationships that participants experience and effective communication with health professionals can support or compromise the quality of the patients' perioperative experience. The nature of the hospital systems and care co-ordination in hospital has implications for the quality of recovery from surgery.

Impact: This review evaluates whether national and international health services and organizations, adhering to the WHO guidelines, have developed and implemented intentionally focused perioperative care with the aims to achieving effective and sustainable surgical outcomes through increased patient satisfaction.

No patient or public contribution: This article is an integrative review and does not include patient or public contribution.

Keywords: patient experience; patient satisfaction; perioperative.