Support After Surgery

Making arrangements in advance to have adequate support at home can help patients return home after surgery as soon as it is appropriate and avoid delays to discharge. (1,2) Traditional criteria for discharge following day surgery includes the presence of a capable adult care-giver for 24 hours postoperatively.

Screening Tools

Screening Questions:

  • Do you have someone that can help you during your recovery after surgery if necessary?
  • Do you have someone who can take over your caregiving responsibilities while you recover from surgery (e.g.,vulnerable adults, children, or pets)?

Prehabilitation and Optimization Algorithm

Prehabilitation and Optimization Recommendations

Patient Education
  • Advise patients on the importance of post-surgery support and set clear expectations for their recovery.
  • "Depending on what type of surgery you are having you may need to have someone help you for a while. If the plan is for you to go home the same day (daycare surgery), it is critical that you have someone to assist you on the way home as well as a responsible adult to spend the night with you."
Provide resources for those with no support
  • *211 or gov.bc.ca - telephone or online resource to find local home and community care services
  • Refer to local social worker

References

1. Kay, A. B., Ponzio, D. Y., Bell, C. D., Orozco, F., Post, Z. D., Duque, A., & Ong, A. C. (2022). Predictors of Successful Early Discharge for Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in Octogenarians. HSS journal : the musculoskeletal journal of Hospital for Special Surgery, 18(3), 393–398. https://doi.org/10.1177/15563316211030631

2. Zhang, Z., & Tumin, D. (2019). Expected social support and recovery of functional status after heart surgery. Disability and rehabilitation, 42(8), 1167–1172. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2018.1518492

Surgical Prehabilitation Toolkit