title: A qualitative study of patient and provider experiences during preoperative care transitions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the issues and challenges of care transitions in the preoperative environment.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Ineffective transitions play a role in a majority of serious medical errors. There is a paucity of research related to the preoperative arena and the multiple inherent transitions in care that occur there.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative descriptive design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semistructured interviews were conducted in a 975-bed academic medical centre.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 30 providers and 10 preoperative patients participated. Themes that arose were as follows: (1) need for clarity of purpose of preoperative care, (2) care coordination, (3) interprofessional boundaries of care and (4) inadequate time and resources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Effective transitions in the preoperative environment require that providers bridge scope of practice barriers to promote good teamwork. Preoperative care that is a product of well-informed providers and patients can improve the entire perioperative care process and potentially influence postoperative patient outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses are well positioned to bridge the gaps within transitions of care and accordingly affect health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, New Courtland Center for Transitions and Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.|Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Malley
authors.affiliation: Northeastern University Center for Health Policy and Healthcare Research, Boston, MA, USA.|Strategic Management and Healthcare Systems, Northeastern University, D'Amore-McKim School of Business and Bouve College of Health Sciences, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013997:Time Factors; D000069341:Transitional Care
keywords: care transitions; preoperative care; transitions of care