Assessing Patient Satisfaction with Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Protocols in Elective Cesarean Deliveries

Abstract

Objective: To assess patient satisfaction with the ERAS protocol in elective cesarean sections. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at FRPMC and Allied Hospital (PAF Faisal Hospital), Karachi from January to July 2023. By convenient sampling, all pregnant women undergoing elective cesarean sections under ERAS procedure were included in the study. A total of 100 patients were divided into two groups through convenient sampling: 50 in the ERAS group and 50 in the conventional (non-ERAS) group. At the time of discharge, a pre-validated questionnaire was used to record the patient’s satisfaction with the care they had received. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 23. Results: ERAS patients were satisfied with their recovery and surgical experiences with 57.5% strongly agreeing compared to 12.8% in the non-ERAS group (p=0.001). About satisfaction with post-operative pain control, 57.5% of patient in ERAS were strongly agreed as compared to 5.1% of patient in non-ERAS (p=0.015) which showed a higher difference. A higher percentage of ERAS patients were satisfied with breastfeeding on “0” post-operative day with 45% strongly agreeing, compared to 5.1% in non-ERAS group. Conclusion: The study revealed significant difference of satisfaction between ERAS protocol patients and non-ERAS patients, particularly satisfaction in recovery, shorter length of hospital stay, early postpartum bonding and post-operative pain control. Most patients favored ERAS, indicating its potential for broader application in elective cesarean sections to improve patient-centered perioperative care.