Nursing care system development for patients with cleft lip-palate and craniofacial deformities in Srinagarind Hospital: pre-post operation.

BACKGROUND: Cleft lip and palate are the most common craniofacial anomalies. Srinagarind Hospital has 150-200 cases each year. The operating process of care requires continuity of care involving a multidisciplinary team. When the patients go to hospital to have operation, pain, limited activity and food are very different from normal life. During pre and post operative care nurses who work continuously and closely with the patients should have knowledge, experience and ability to take excellent care of their patients and families. This can prevent complications and help their decision process, decrease parents stress and encourage better co-operation.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a nursing care system for patients with cleft lip-palate undergoing operation.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: This is an action research divided into 3 phases. Phase 1, situation review: review of nursing care process by interview, focus group, observation and nursing documents. Phase 2, nursing system management: developing guidelines, composing nursing manual, handbook for parents, VCD for patients and family and story telling. Following that announcement and implementation. Phase 3: evaluation.

RESULT: The authors found that guidelines, nursing manual, handbook for parents, VCD for patients and family and story telling are appropriate and have good utilization, but the pictures in handbook for parents and storytelling were not clear, too small and not attractive.

CONCLUSION: Nursing manual for giving information about pre-post operative care, handbook for parents, story telling and VCD about pre-post operative care provide optimal care for patients and family with cleft lip and palate, but need to evaluate further the nursing outcome after this nursing system development.