Determining the learning needs of patients who underwent total knee prosthesis surgery at discharge

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTİVE: Total knee prosthesis (TKP) surgery; It is one of the surgical interventions performed for reasons such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gonarthrosis. In order to prevent negativities such as continuous hospitalizations and related infections after discharge, the discharge training to be given must meet the needs of the patient. In this context, this study was planned to determine the learning needs of patients who underwent TKP surgery at discharge. MATERİALS AND METHODS: The research population consisted of patients over the age of 18 and 18 who had undergone total knee prosthesis surgery in the orthopedic service of a Training and Research Hospital, and the research sample consisted of 60 patients who agreed to participate in the study. Patients were interviewed in the postoperative period using the Personal Data Form and the Patient Learning Needs Scale (PLNS). RESULTS: The average age of the patients who underwent surgery was 65.03±6.88 and the average BMI was 29.58±3.52. While the average length of hospital stay (days) was 5.30±1.69, 78.3% were women and 88.3% underwent spinal anesthesia. All patients and caregivers received discharge training on home care. The patient learning needs scale score is 168.90±32.34. It was observed that the highest importance level score among the patients' scale subgroups was treatment and complications. CONCLUSION: The learning needs of the patients were found to be moderately important. It was determined that the importance levels of patient education needs were higher for those with spinal anesthesia, those with primary school education or higher, those who were single, and those whose income was less than their expenses. It was observed that the importance levels of the feelings about the situation and treatment complications sub-dimensions of the patient learning needs scale were higher in those who had not had surgery before than in those who had surgery. Since the group undergoing TKP surgery is generally in the older age group, it is very important for nurses to have a good command of the body systematics for the older age group while providing care and communicating with the patient. Keywords: Total Knee Prosthesis, Patient Learning Needs Scale, Discharge Education