title: [Surgical care guidelines].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence-based guidelines for perioperative care facilitate the recovery process and decrease morbidity and hospital stay. The aim of this study was to evaluate the availability and content of guidelines for perioperative care in all departments performing colonic resection, nephrectomy, ovarian cancer surgery, pulmonary resection and total knee replacement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based upon nationwide workshops and agreement on clinical guidelines for perioperative care a questionnaire was sent to all surgical departments which perform the five procedures. Where available, the guidelines were assessed for presence of written information at admission and discharge, expected hospital stay, plan for mobilisation, nutrition and pain control as well as information on care after discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 59% and 88% of the departments within each subspecialty had clinical guidelines for perioperative care. The content in the existing guidelines often lacked accurate information regarding preoperative information, objective pain assessment and well-defined discharge criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of clinical guidelines is increasing, but there is a need for further implementation of clinical guidelines for perioperative care in order to improve outcome.
authors.affiliation: Rigshospitalet, Enhed for Perioperativ Sygepleje, Universiteternes Center for Sygepleje, København Ø. krud@rh.dk
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rud
authors.forename: Dorthe Hjort
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Egerod
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kehlet
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D003718:Denmark; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000592:standards; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000592:standards; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome