Loading...
Date
2025
Abstract
Background: Robotic assisted surgery (RAS) is rapidly becoming accepted as the elite modality for surgery since its introduction in the 1980’s, more recently there has been a rising trend in use with several specialities operating using this technology. Current literature surrounding RAS focuses on the surgical team’s experience rather than the patient’s perspective, with limited qualitative research on patient experience post RAS. Patients undergoing RAS require nursing care throughout their journey, therefore knowledge of nurses’ experiences and perceptions of RAS is important to identifying nurse education and development needs.
Aim: To explore the experiences of patients undergoing RAS and the experiences of nurses working with RAS patients.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used to interview patients (N=12) and nurses (N=10) with the data analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings: The first study exploring patients experiences with RAS indicated that they were not sufficiently prepared for their RAS with their experiences not matching their expectations. A preliminary search of the literature was completed indicating that minimal research was conducted with nurses RAS experience. An integrated review was conducted highlighting that education and training with nurses was inadequate and there was no research conducted with nurses outside of the perioperative department. A qualitative study with nurses working with RAS patients in three settings (Ward, Theatre and Community) was then conducted using face to face interviews. Findings from this study suggested that nurses in all settings require more education specific to RAS as no education was received by nurses in the ward and community settings.
Conclusion: This research has provided new knowledge to the field of RAS nursing and has provided the basis for future research to be conducted in this rapidly expanding modality.
Supervisor
Coffey, Alice
O'Brien, Brid
Coffey, Calvin J.
O'Brien, Brid
Coffey, Calvin J.
Description
Publisher
University of Limerick