Patients’ conceptions of preoperative physiotherapy education before hip arthroplasty
Sammanfattning
In Finland, over 7500 hip arthroplasties are performed annually. While the mean age of the
patients has increased, the
length of hospital stay has decreased, and this presents challenges for patient education. The aim of
this study was to explore
patients ’conceptions of preoperative physiotherapy education. This qualitative study included 10 hip
arthroplasty patients.
Data were collected using individual interviews at home before collecting preoperative information,
and at the hospital after
the operation. The interviews were tape-recorded and analysed using the phenomenographic method.
Four hierarchically
constructed categories of preoperative physiotherapy education were identifi ed: readiness for the
operation, preparing for
the rehabilitation, actor within the hospital service system and independent actor. These categories
were analysed through
the following themes: knowledge about hip arthroplasty, action skills, body understanding and
trusting encounter. According
to the patients ’conceptions, in preoperative physiotherapy education gaining knowledge is the key
element, which
should be combined with practical elements. This requires a trusting relationship between the patient
and the physiotherapist.
Two critical aspects can be identifi ed: how the readiness for the operation could shift towards
preparation for rehabilitation,
and widening the perspective from preparing for rehabilitation to being the actor within the hospital
service
system.