The impact of preoperative education on postoperative pain. Part 2.

The second of this two-part article examines the impact of preoperative education on postoperative anxiety, pain and recovery. The first part (Oshodi, 2007) explored the general concept of preoperative education. Surgery can be physically and psychologically stressful for patients. It is hypothesized that education before surgery reduces anxiety and enhances postoperative outcomes. This article critically reviews some of the published research in this field since 1994 through a rigorous methodology to evaluate the impact of preoperative education on postoperative outcomes. Despite inconsistencies in the evidence, the studies all point to the fact that preoperative education is beneficial to adult surgical patients. Based on the evidence presented, implications for nursing are discussed and recommendations for practice are made.