title: Survey of attitudes of nurses and junior doctors to co-management of high risk surgical patients.
abstract: Managing post-operative surgical patients can be complex, with many patients at risk of complications and mortality. We piloted a model for co-management of high risk surgical patients: the post-operative surveillance team (POST). We conducted a survey to test the proposition that POST would be popular with nurses and junior doctors. We conducted a questionnaire survey of nurses and doctors involved with the POST programme. Fifty-three nurses and 10 doctors responded to the survey: 60% response rate. Of 63 respondents: 62 (98%; 95% CI: 92-100%) agreed that POST was valuable, 61 (97%; 95% CI: 89-99%) agreed that POST should continue, and 61 (97%; 95% CI: 89-99%) agreed that they enjoyed working with POST. In open ended responses 39% commented that POST provided supervision, mentoring, education, or collaboration. We conclude that POST was popular with surgical ward nurses and doctors. This popularity is one factor supporting a permanent service.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Clinical Services Unit, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shelton
authors.forename: Daryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Story
authors.forename: Melodie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heland
authors.forename: Rinaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellomo
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative