A qualitative study of patient and provider experiences during preoperative care transitions.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the issues and challenges of care transitions in the preoperative environment.

BACKGROUND: Ineffective transitions play a role in a majority of serious medical errors. There is a paucity of research related to the preoperative arena and the multiple inherent transitions in care that occur there.

DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive design was used.

METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted in a 975-bed academic medical centre.

RESULTS: A total of 30 providers and 10 preoperative patients participated. Themes that arose were as follows: (1) need for clarity of purpose of preoperative care, (2) care coordination, (3) interprofessional boundaries of care and (4) inadequate time and resources.

CONCLUSION: Effective transitions in the preoperative environment require that providers bridge scope of practice barriers to promote good teamwork. Preoperative care that is a product of well-informed providers and patients can improve the entire perioperative care process and potentially influence postoperative patient outcomes.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurses are well positioned to bridge the gaps within transitions of care and accordingly affect health outcomes.