Exploring the educational needs of individuals following total knee replacement: A qualitative study

Affiliated institutions include: St. Joseph's Health Centre (L. O'Callaghan, S. McConnell), University of Toronto (K. Yoshida)This study examined the perspectives of people recently undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with respect to their perioperative (preoperative and postoperative) educational experiences. In depth interview data was collected from five participants following their discharge home after TKA. A grounded theory method approach was used to analyze the data. The findings showed that although there were mixed impressions of the structure of the preoperative session, participants felt the content and timing was appropriate. Postoperatively there existed an educational gap as participants felt they lacked knowledge essential for their transition home. Some areas lacking transitional knowledge included pain management, sleeping and driving. Furthermore, participants also expressed how their expectations and experiences throughout the entire surgical process were further shaped by lay knowledge (information acquired from family and friends regarding TKA). The findings showed that: 1) there exists a gap in transitional knowledge particularly from hospital to home; 2) the preoperative session of mixed education and assessment may not be ideal; and 3) lay knowledge needs acknowledgement to ensure accurate and comprehensive education. On the basis of the above analysis, recommendations are made for improving the current education delivered to people receiving TKA