Learning Needs of Neurosurgery Patients

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to describe learning needs of neurosurgery patients'. The study design was descriptive. This research was carried out with patients who were hospitalized at the neurosurgery unit of a University Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey; there were 77 patients in the study group from November 2008 to February 2009. The patients' learning needs after neurosurgery were assessed using Turkish Patients' Learning Needs Scale (PLNS) in 24- 48 hours before hospital discharge. The PLNS is 50 items, likert type scale with seven subscales. The total mean score of PLNS was 198.75 +/- 36.6 and subscales item mean scores were between 18.62 +/- 4.67 +/- 2.65 and 37.54 +/- 6.34. The most important learning need of neurosurgery patient was "What the possible side effects of my treatments are?" Demographic variables (age, gender, education, employment etc.) were not related with learning needs of the neurosurgery patient (p>0.05). In this study, neurosurgery patients' learning needs found higher levels before hospital discharge.