Effect of the ‘enhanced recovery after surgery protocol’ on the workload of nurses in cardiac patients

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare the workload of nurses in patients after cardiac surgery with minimal access, anaesthesia standard and according to the ‘Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol’ (ERAS protocol). A quantitative descriptive design was used. The study included a group of 100 patients with mitral valve disease in a Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Poland. The research project lasted 7 months. The nurses’ workload was assessed in accordance with the guidelines of NAS scale. The average age of cardiac surgery patients studied was 54.9 ± 14.38. In the studied group of cardiac surgery patients there were 48% women and 52% men. The average workload of nurses in the ERAS group in NAS scoring on day 0 of daily duty was 67.5 ± 2.97. The average workload of nurses in the ERAS group in NAS scoring on day 1 of daily duty was 48.6 ± 2.85. The average workload of nurses in the ERAS group in NAS scoring on day 2 of daily duty was 48.6 ± 2. Patients who were anesthetised according to the ERAS protocol required less labour than standard anesthetised patients. The workload for patients anaesthetised according to the ERAS protocol is lower compared to the workload on standard anesthetised patients.