Patients and jargon: are we speaking the same language?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the ability of surgical patients to understand words commonly used during the anesthetic preoperative visit.


METHODS
Questionnaire study.


METHODS
Preanesthetic holding area of a university hospital.


METHODS
96 perioperative ASA physical status I, II, III, and IV outpatients and patients to be admitted.


METHODS
Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire that asked each to define 10 terms commonly used during the preoperative interview. Patients also answered three demographic questions as part of the survey.


METHODS
Understanding of 10 commonly used terms, first language, age, and highest education level were all recorded.


RESULTS
Of the 10 terms, 4 had a greater than 80% correct response rate: EKG, i.v., general anesthesia, and local or regional anesthesia, with correct response rates of 92.7%, 91.7%, 81.3%, and 81.3%, respectively. The terms with the poorest understanding were NPO (31.3%), MI (32.3%), and pulse ox (39.6%). The rest of the terms, with their correct response rates, were as follows: GERD (67.7%), hypertension (70.8%), and intubate (60.4%). Whereas higher education was associated with correct answer score, age was not.


CONCLUSIONS
Most patients understand the words EKG and i.v.. Further clarification might be needed when discussing general and regional anesthesia, and other words should be avoided or else explained.
Fields
Aaron M
AM
Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 208051, New Haven, CT 06520-8051, USA. Electronic address: afieldsmd@yahoo.com.
Freiberg
Craig S
CS
Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 208051, New Haven, CT 06520-8051, USA.
Fickenscher
Alexandra
A
American Indian and Alaska Native Programs, University of Colorado at Denver, and Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO, USA.
Shelley
Kirk H
KH
Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 208051, New Haven, CT 06520-8051, USA.