PURPOSE
The purpose of the study was to develop and pilot test an early exercise program for lumbar spine surgery patients.
METHODS
A group of experts developed an early exercise program based on the exercise guidelines of spine hospitals and literature review. Fifty-three lumbar surgery patients were assigned into an experimental group or a control group and both groups participated in a 7-day exercise program. Pain, sleep disorders and daily living activity disorders were measured by self-administered questionnaires. The lower extremity strength was assessed by thigh circumference and the number of standing up from a chair within 30 seconds.
RESULTS
The experiment group had significantly lower scores in back pain and daily living activity disorders than the control group. The number of standing up from a chair significantly increased in the experimental group.
CONCLUSION
Our early exercise program was effective in decreasing the back pain and daily living activity disorder and increasing the strength of lower extremity among lumbar surgery patients. The early exercise program should be considered as a nursing intervention in clinical settings for lumbar surgery patients.

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to identify demographic, clinical, physical, and psychosocial factors affecting discharge delay in lumbar spinal surgery patients who were treated according to a critical pathway.
METHODS
A sample of 170 patients with lumbar spinal surgery agreed to participate in the study, between April 1, 2014 and August 30, 2015. Data were analyzed by mean, standard deviation, t-test, χ2-test, ANCOVA, and logistic regression analysis using SPSS 22.0 program.
RESULTS
Approximately fifty-nine percent of the participants was delayed discharge. On logistic regression analysis, female gender (OR=2.63, 95% CI=1.40~4.94), age (OR=1.03, 95% CI=1.01~1.05), spondylolisthesis (OR=4.49, 95% CI=1.90~10.61), and spinal fusion operation (OR=4.14, 95% CI=1.89~9.05) were significant factors predicting discharge delay of the participants. However, discharge delay was not related with pain, physical function, depression, or family support.
CONCLUSION
An analysis of discharge delay may assist in evaluating and revising critical pathway for optimal care. In addition, nurses need to understand the factors affecting discharge delay of the given population who were treated according to a critical pathway.

Citations

• Evaluation of the Critical Pathway for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy from the Perspective of Pain Course
  Seon Hwa Kim, Jin Hong Lim, Hyung Sun Kim
  Quality Improvement in Health Care.2024; 30(2): 50.     CrossRef
• Discharge Transition Experience for Lumbar Fusion Patients: A Qualitative Study
  Jeoung Hee Kim, Yong Soon Shin
  Journal of Neuroscience Nursing.2021; 53(6): 228.     CrossRef
• Effects of Functions of Daily Living, Depression, and Anxiety on Catastrophizing Pain among Patients Undergoing Lumbar Spinal Surgery
  Jeong Eun Yoon, Ok-Hee Cho
  Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing.2020; 27(3): 289.     CrossRef
• Development and Effects of Early Exercise Program for Lumbar Spine Surgery Patients
  Geun Jin Kim, Hye Young Kim
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2018; 30(3): 245.     CrossRef