A Survey of Patients' Thoughts on Anesthesia and Anesthesiologists following Experience with Anesthesia.
10.4097/kjae.2007.52.6.621
- Author:
Won Kyoung KWON
1
;
Tae Yun SUNG
;
Yong Jun HUH
;
Kyoung Ok KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
anesthesia;
preoperative visit
- MeSH:
Anesthesia*;
Anesthesiology;
Humans;
Learning;
Pain, Postoperative;
Surveys and Questionnaires;
Surgical Procedures, Elective
- From:Korean Journal of Anesthesiology
2007;52(6):621-626
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The image and status of anesthesiology as a medical specialty in the eyes of the general public has been a problem. This study assessed the patients' thoughts on anesthesiologists and their preoperative concerns and examined the influence of any previous anesthetic experience on their apprehension. METHODS: One hundred thirty-nine patients undergoing elective surgical procedures were surveyed with a questionnaire regarding their thoughts on anesthesiologists and their preoperative concerns at preoperative visits. The results were analyzed in terms of a previous experience with anesthesia. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients had previous experience with anesthesia (Group 1), and 74 patients had none (Group 2). Seventy-one percent of patients in Group 1 and 80% in Group 2 reported that a physician-anesthesiologist was in charge of their anesthesia. Regarding the responsibility for the patients' safety during the surgical procedures, 83% of patients in Group 1 and 82% in Group 2 reported that the anesthesiologists were responsible for the patients' well-being. Fifty-seven percent of patients in Group 1 and 58% in Group 2 reported that the anesthesiologists were responsible for their safe recovery from the anesthesia. The most frequent preoperative apprehensions were postoperative pain (57% in Group 1 and 62% in Group 2) and the risk of not waking up from the anesthesia (60% in Group 1 and 57% in Group 2). There were no significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Passive learning from previous anesthetic experience does not affect the patients' thoughts on the anesthesiologists and their preoperative concerns.
