Staff support for back surgical patients and family members: does it improve coping at home?

BACKGROUND

social support is an important form of external support to patients and families.

PURPOSE: Assessment of postoperative external support provided by staff to patients and family members at discharge from hospital and related factors.

METHODS

Quantitative descriptive study conducted with surgical patients treated for disc herniation or spinal stenosis (N = 92) and family members (N = 55) in a central hospital in Finland in 2008-2010 to measure the importance of various forms of support and their association with respondents' overall postoperative coping.

RESULTS

Patient education atmosphere was the most important source of external support for both patients and family members. Better overall coping was reported by both groups if the patient's behavior and intrafamilial emotions had changed in a positive way. Patients' overall coping was promoted if they received adequate information from staff.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses' role and competence are crucial in supporting the coping of patients and families.