Effectiveness of the video medium to supplement preoperative patient education: A systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND

The preoperative period is a critically important time point in that patients' information needs are high and must be met. Traditional methods of patient education, such as those in the form of pamphlets, may not be the most effective and have been shown to result in low patient comprehension. The aim of this systematic review is to explore the use of preoperative supplementary educational videos.

METHODS

A literature search using six databases was conducted. A total of 240 original research articles relating to preoperative educational videos were retrieved and screened for eligibility.

RESULTS

18 primary studies were identified and included in the review. Several outcomes were evaluated including knowledge, preparedness, and satisfaction, as well as psychological and physical wellbeing. Findings were varied, with many studies citing significant positive differences in these outcomes when patients viewed an educational video, while others report no differences.

CONCLUSION

Although findings are slightly mixed, the use of videos to supplement patient education has considerable potential in a preoperative setting. More research is needed to reach definitive conclusions.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

We advocate for clinicians to challenge traditional methods of patient education and to consider exploring the possibility of integrating videos into routine preoperative education.