wetenschapsdag 2023 | 17 Openingssessie x Auteurs A.M. Eskes Abstract title Family participation in surgical care Background Increasing demand for healthcare has exacerbated the pressures hospitals around the world experience for beds, resulting in patients going home quicker and sicker. The transition from hospital to home can be challenging for both surgical patients and their families, especially when patients require additional support to manage their recovery. Traditionally, community nursing services have provided professional care to support patient recovery after hospital discharge, but it can be questioned if this is sustainable given the existing health service pressures, such as nurses leaving the profession, on the healthcare system. It is a real concern that future health systems will be unable to provide post-hospital surgical care in the way we and patients’ families expect. Families, who can be relatives or close friends with whom patients have significant relationships, may be required to provide care in this new world. To proactively address this, a shift in how we approach (post)-hospital care is needed. A way to do that is for example by implementing a family involvement program. Families were involved and trained in a range of activities including fundamental care, such as mobilization, breathing exercises and active orientation in time, place and person. In a recent study investigating this program in a sample of 302 patients, we found a 17% reduction in the need for professional care at discharge when a family caregiver was involved. More importantly, patients reported a higher satisfaction when family members were part of the care process and no clinical relevant increase in caregiver burden was found. Besides these clinical challenges, another challenge is to retain nurses for clinical care. Therefore, more and more hospitals implement clinical academic nurse positions for nurses with a university degree. This is important for the retention of talented nurses with academic skills and knowledge in clinical practice. 1
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