Application of enhanced recovery after surgery techniques in gastrointestinal surgery patients.

Background: Gastrointestinal surgery has disadvantages such as long operation time, extended hospitalization time, and slow postoperative recovery. However, the promotion and clinical application of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) concept have considerably shortened the hospitalization time of gastrointestinal surgery patients and reduced reactions to surgical stress and the risk of medical complications and readmission. ERAS breaks the conventional operating mode in the field of surgery but introduces great challenges in practice.

Aim: To explore the application of ERAS in perioperative patients within the field of gastrointestinal surgery, with a particular focus on investigating the awareness of ERAS among healthcare professionals and the barriers to its implementation.

Methods: A retrospective study of medical records of perioperative patients in the gastrointestinal surgery ward of Ningbo No. 2 Hospital from March 2020 to March 2022 was conducted. According to the different nursing modes adopted by patients during the perioperative period, patients were divided into the ERAS group and the control group. The postoperative outcomes of these groups such as the time to first ambulation, the time to first intake of food, and nursing satisfaction were compared. A self-developed questionnaire was used to assess the awareness of ERAS among healthcare professionals, along with a survey identifying barriers to its implementation.

Results: Compared with the control group, the ERAS group demonstrated superior scores across various metrics, with the exception of the readmission rate due to complications within 1 month post-discharge (P < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of educational background, years of service, and prior training in ERAS (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: ERAS significantly reduces the time to first ambulation and first food intake for patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. Furthermore, the awareness of ERAS among healthcare professionals correlates with their educational background, years of experience, and prior training. ERAS plays a crucial role in expediting patient recovery, improving nursing satisfaction, and optimizing healthcare resources.