887 Developing Patient Information Leaflets for Patients Undergoing Emergency Laparoscopic Appendicectomy & Cholecystectomy
B Finch, H Imran, C Wakefield- Surgery
Abstract
Aim
Appendicectomy and Cholecystectomy operations are the two most common general surgical emergency operations performed at Royal Hampshire County Hospital. Despite this, patient information leaflets (PILs) about these emergency operations are unavailable, compromising standards of care and uncompliance with Trust policy and National guidelines. The project aimed to establish levels of written information offered to patients undergoing an emergency appendicectomy or cholecystectomy, and to assess the impact on patient’s understanding regarding all aspects of their operation after the development of PILs.
Method
Baseline data was collected via prospective analysis of all patients undergoing an emergency appendicectomy or cholecystectomy between December 2021 – February 2022. Questionnaires were given to patients post-operatively to assess their understanding on all operative domains. A PIL was designed and approved by the Trust’s Communications-Team, published online via Trust Extranet and distributed onto surgical wards with staff education. A re-audit was completed between April-June 2022.
Results
0% (0/14) of patients were offered written information at baseline, despite 86% reporting PILs would have been useful. PIL compliance rose substantially to 80% (12/15) in our re-audit. Implementation of a PIL led to greater understanding of the operative complications and the recovery-period, as well as an overall improved hospital experience.
Conclusions
This project indicates that provision of written information is poor despite it being highly valued by patients. Implementation of PIL for emergency operations led to greater patient understanding and hospital experience, thus improved compliance to National guidelines. However, continued education of staff is essential to embed good practice over the long term.