The effect of pain level after bariatric surgery on readiness for discharge

Bariatric surgery is a surgical method widely used in the treatment of obesity, which aims to provide weight loss to the individual through various structural changes in the digestive system. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pain levels after bariatric surgery on patients' readiness for discharge. The study questioned the existence of the effect of pain experienced after bariatric surgery on the level of readiness for discharge and the level of this effect. In this study, which was conducted using a descriptive and correlational design, the data collection process was initiated in the general surgery department of a private hospital located on the European side of Istanbul between September 2024 and March 2025 after receiving ethics committee approval. A total of 150 patients aged between 18 and 60, who were fully oriented to time and place, cooperative, willing to participate in the study, and had signed the written informed consent form, were included in the study. Data were collected on the second postoperative day using the Patient Information Form, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale–Patient Self-Assessment Form. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS 21.0 statistical software package. Skewness and kurtosis values were examined to assess normality. Relationships were evaluated using Pearson correlation analysis and regression modeling, with a significance level set at p<0.05. It has been found that the level of participants' readiness for discharge is significantly affected by postoperative pain.