Patient knowledge of anaesthesia and peri‐operative care

Abstract

SummaryOne hundred and sixty six patients were questioned by means of a multiple choice questionnaire, to determine their knowledge of peri-operative care, anaesthesia and the r61e of anaesthetists. In general, knowledge was good, but there were some important misconceptions; in particular, 28.3% of respondents thought that fasting referred to food only, and not to fluid intake. In addition, 47.6% of respondents considered pain to be a necessary part of the healing process and 38.6% believed that it was something that just had to be endured. When .forthcorning anaesthesia is discussed, anaesthetists need to ascertain that patients really do understand the language used.

Perception About the Role of Anesthesia and Anesthesiologist Among the Paramedical Staffs: Perspective from a Medical College in Nepal

“…Better awareness of anesthesia activities and proper expectation by the patient would make it a public demand would create interest of health administrators and help in recruiting more anesthesia related health facilities to consumers. [8][9][10][11] Our data was based on the questionnaire which revealed limited knowledge about the anesthesia and anesthesiology as a specialty, even some of the hospital staffs thinking it not to be specialty of its own (30.8%).Although most of the paramedical staffs and nurses have their posting at least for few days in operating room during their study period, this had not helped much for understanding the duties and responsibilities of anesthesiologist in teaching hospital. Lack of recognition and decreased appreciation of the role of the anesthesiologist contributes to the frustration of the anesthetic practitioner.…”

“…13 As mentioned in one of the study, anesthesiologist have less contact with the conscious patient than other medical profession they are well perceived by the paramedical staffs at the hospital during the preoperative visit, postoperative rounds and ICU discussions. 10 The lack of recognition can affect anesthesiologist' selfesteem, especially given the amount if effort required to achieve the expertise.…”

Monitoring (un)consciousness: the implications of a new definition of ‘anaesthesia’

“…Second, it can aid positive public engagement. Because hitherto, the professional and public understanding of what 'anaesthesia' is has been the narrow one, the involvement of an 'anaesthetist' in patient care has been assumed to imply that the input will solely be to induce a state of complete mental oblivion, and little else [40,41]. Indeed, anecdotally there can be surprise and even disappointment that mental oblivion is not always the proposed solution to the presenting clinical problem.…”

“…Indeed, anecdotally there can be surprise and even disappointment that mental oblivion is not always the proposed solution to the presenting clinical problem. By redefining 'anaesthesia' to mean the more subtle manipulation of sensory-perceptual modalities to create a range of possible acceptable mental states for surgery, this might in turn broaden the public view of anaesthetists' skills and knowledge in contributing to patient care [41].…”

Attitudes to pain and pain relief in adult surgical patients

“…A first step towards improving patient education is to understand how patients perceive pain following surgery. Many patients believe that pain is inevitable or even necessary after surgery [2][3][4]. The beliefs and preconceptions about postoperative pain which they hold on entering hospital may influence both their expression of pain and their desire for its relief.…”