A Case Study of Comprehensive Postoperative Management for Elderly Total Hip Arthroplasty Patients Based on Peplau's Interpersonal Relationship Theory.

Abstract

With a growing population of elderly patients undergoing hip arthroplasty, traditional nursing care often faces challenges dus to fragmented services and inadequate continuity. Based on Peplau's interpersonal relationship theory, we explored a comprehensive hospital-home-community management model for an 80-year-old female patient following total hip arthroplasty. This nursing model was structured into four sequential phases (orientation, identification, exploitation, and resolution) and incorporated a structured multidisciplinary team, a stepwise health education system, discharge preparation services, and evidence-based postoperative care. Post-discharge management integrated traditional Chinese medicine-based pain management, intelligent rehabilitation training, and evidence-based constipation management. After six months of intervention, the patient achieved satisfactory wound healing and optimal prosthesis positioning. Significant improvements were observed in pain, constipation, sleep, anxiety, hip function, self-care ability, and self-management competence. This approach established a closed-loop management system encompassing assessment, screening, referral, liaison, home visits, multidisciplinary collaboration, and continuous follow-up. This model bridges hospital-home care gap, enhances care continuity, and improves rehabilitation outcomes, thereby providing a replicable framework for the postoperative management of elderly surgical patients.