RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A survey of Canadian surgeons on the indications for home care nursing following vascular surgery
JF Canadian Journal of Surgery
JO CAN J SURG
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP E149
OP E154
DO 10.1503/cjs.001220
VO 64
IS 2
A1 Jean Jacob-Brassard
A1 Mohammed Al-Omran
A1 Konrad Salata
A1 Mohamad A. Hussain
A1 Ahmed Kayssi
A1 Graham Roche-Nagle
A1 Charles de Mestral
YR 2021
UL http://canjsurg.ca/content/64/2/E149.abstract
AB Background Recent evidence suggests that home care nursing is variably prescribed after vascular surgery, and may reduce emergency department visits and hospital readmissions. We therefore sought to characterize the indications for home care nursing following vascular surgery from the surgeon’s perspective.Methods An online survey was distributed to the 141 members of the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery with questions related to home care nursing after carotid endarterectomy (CEA), endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR), open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair and open or hybrid revascularization for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We included all questionnaires in our analysis; the frequency denominator changes according to the number of respondents who completed each survey item.Results There were 46 survey respondents (33% of 141) from across the country. A total of 28 (62% of 45) worked in a teaching hospital. Home care nursing was routinely prescribed by 5%, 10%, 31% and 41% of respondents following CEA, EVAR, open AAA repair and open or hybrid revascularization for PAD, respectively. Across all procedure types, the same procedure-related criteria were most often deemed to warrant a prescription for home care nursing: surgical site infection, wound complications (e.g., open wound, lymphatic leak) and use of negative-pressure wound therapy. Across all procedure types, lack of social support, physical frailty and cognitive impairment were most frequently identified as patient-specific considerations for prescribing home care nursing. Few respondents reported restrictions or standards that informed their prescribing practice.Conclusion Most surgeon respondents agreed on the indications for home care nursing after vascular surgery. However, evidence-based standards to guide patient selection for home care nursing after vascular surgery are needed.