TY - JOUR

T1 - Standardising fast-track surgical nursing care in Denmark

AU - Hjort Jakobsen, Dorthe

AU - Rud, Kirsten

AU - Kehlet, Henrik

AU - Egerod, Ingrid

PY - 2014/5/14

Y1 - 2014/5/14

N2 - Considerable variations in procedures, hospital stay and rates of recovery have been recorded within specific surgical procedures at Danish hospitals. The aim of this paper is to report on a national initiative in Denmark to improve the quality of surgical care by implementation of clinical guidelines based on the principles of fast-track surgery-i.e. patient information, surgical stress reduction, effective analgesia, early mobilisation and rapid return to normal eating. Fast-track surgery was introduced systematically in Denmark by the establishment of the Unit of Perioperative Nursing (UPN) in 2004. The unit was responsible for guideline construction and implementation using the 'workshop practice method': establishing a website, creating a knowledge centre, coordinating implementation agents, and arranging national workshops and conferences. The UPN has promoted implementation of fast-track regimes in all surgical departments in Denmark. We recommend the workshop-practice method for implementation of new procedures in other areas of patient care.

AB - Considerable variations in procedures, hospital stay and rates of recovery have been recorded within specific surgical procedures at Danish hospitals. The aim of this paper is to report on a national initiative in Denmark to improve the quality of surgical care by implementation of clinical guidelines based on the principles of fast-track surgery-i.e. patient information, surgical stress reduction, effective analgesia, early mobilisation and rapid return to normal eating. Fast-track surgery was introduced systematically in Denmark by the establishment of the Unit of Perioperative Nursing (UPN) in 2004. The unit was responsible for guideline construction and implementation using the 'workshop practice method': establishing a website, creating a knowledge centre, coordinating implementation agents, and arranging national workshops and conferences. The UPN has promoted implementation of fast-track regimes in all surgical departments in Denmark. We recommend the workshop-practice method for implementation of new procedures in other areas of patient care.

KW - Denmark

KW - Evidence-Based Nursing

KW - Humans

KW - Nursing Staff, Hospital

KW - Perioperative Nursing

KW - Quality Improvement

KW - Rehabilitation Nursing

U2 - 10.12968/bjon.2014.23.9.471

DO - 10.12968/bjon.2014.23.9.471

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24820811

VL - 23

SP - 471

EP - 476

JO - Nursing

JF - Nursing

SN - 0020-7489

IS - 9

ER -