None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study will determine whether the analgesic education intervention (informed by both patients and clinicians) can be successfully delivered. To date, no previous research has tested an intervention designed based on what patients report needing to know and what healthcare providers agree is important to include. This pilot will therefore provide new knowledge on the feasibility and acceptability of delivering such an intervention to orthopaedic patients managing pain at home after hospital discharge. Data will be collected on whether the intervention is feasible to be delivered as planned, the total time to deliver the education, patient acceptability of the intervention, as well as patient-centred outcomes including empowerment to manage pain and analegsics, confidence to use analgesics, and knowledge of analgesics. In terms of health outcomes, the study will assess patient-perceived empowerment to manage pain as an indication of the intervention's potential impact, as well as explore patient-reported confidence to manage analgesics and patient-reported knowledge of analgesics following the intervention. If the intervention is found to be feasible, these findings will inform a future definitive trial. Ultimately, a low-resource, patient-centred analgesic education intervention is expected to reduce the risk of chronic postoperative pain, promote safer analgesic use, and improve recovery after orthopaedic surgery, thus addressing a gap in transitional care that current services cannot provide.
Interventions
This study will trial an analgesic education intervention designed to empower adult patients undergoing open orthopaedic surgery to optimally self-manage their postoperative pain at home, with a particular focus on the appropriate use of analgesic medications.
The intervention will be delivered in two phases: an initial face-to-face session prior to hospital discharge, followed by a series of telephone support calls after the patient returns home.
Pre-discharge session: On the day of (or the d
This study will trial an analgesic education intervention designed to empower adult patients undergoing open orthopaedic surgery to optimally self-manage their postoperative pain at home, with a particular focus on the appropriate use of analgesic medications. The intervention will be delivered in two phases: an initial face-to-face session prior to hospital discharge, followed by a series of telephone support calls after the patient returns home. Pre-discharge session: On the day of (or the day prior to) hospital discharge, a clinical pharmacist will conduct a brief 10-to-20-minute face-to-face education session with each participant at the bedside. Education will cover key topics including: general postoperative pain expectations; the patient's prescribed analgesics and how to take them in combination for optimal multimodal pain relief; common side effects and strategies to minimise their risk; and guidance on safely weaning analgesics as pain improves. To reinforce this verbal education, participants will also receive a supplementary written information sheet. This written information sheet has been developed specifically for use in this study. Post-discharge telephone follow-up: To support the transition home, the same clinical pharmacist will contact participants via telephone up to three times within the first 10 days following discharge, at approximately 24–48 hours, 5–6 days, and 9–10 days after returning home. Each call is expected to last between 5 and 15 minutes and will provide an opportunity to follow up on the patient's recovery, address any concerns, and offer further information regarding pain and analgesic management. Adherence and feasibility: Adherence to the intervention will be monitored by tracking the proportion of participants who complete both the in-person session and follow-up telephone calls. Finally, 14 days post-discharge, participants will be contacted to complete a post-intervention questionnaire, which will assess the acceptability of the education program from the patient's perspective.
Sponsors
University of Tasmania
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Any person, aged 18 years or older, undergoing an open orthopaedic procedure at Tauranga hospital or Grace hospital (Tauranga, Bay of Plenty), that requires at least one night stay in hospital will be eligible for this study.
Exclusion criteria
- Undergo an arthroscopic, or other minimally invasive procedure, or are discharged on the same day as surgery - Are undergoing amputation or oncological-related surgery - Undergoing a subsequent surgery for the same issue (e.g., second stage joint revision surgery) if the primary surgery was within six months prior. - Require a prolonged hospital admission due to postoperative complications, such as infection or thrombosis, or transfer to the in-hospital rehabilitation ward for their recovery - Require transfer to a community (out-of-hospital) rehabilitation centre for their recovery or to permanently move to an aged-care centre. - Require minimal pain relief (single agent non-opioid analgesia only) following their procedure. - Are pregnant or breastfeeding. - Cannot communicate in English and/or cannot be contacted via telephone (or video call). - Have documented cognitive impairment or are otherwise unable to provide informed consent or actively participate in the intervention. - Do not normally manage their medications at home (not including receiving assistance from whanau (family). - Are under a pharmacotherapy treatment program for substance use disorders, including opioids, alcohol, and other substances. - Undergoing orthopaedic surgery funded privately (not by the public health service).
Outcome results
None listed