Development of integrated care model for patients undergoing spine surgery in Operating Room, Sukhothai hospital.

Abstract

     This study was action research utilizing both qualitative and quantitative approaches, aimed at developing an integrated care model for spine surgery patients in the operating room at Sukhothai Hospital. The study was conducted from October 2024 to September 2025, spanning 12 months. The sample for model development comprised 15 registered nurses, while the quantitative sample for model evaluation included 32 spine surgery patients. Research instruments consisted of an integrated care model, general information questionnaires, nursing care knowledge assessment tools, care behavior evaluation forms, satisfaction questionnaires, and quality indicator recording forms. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Paired t-test, χ² test), while qualitative data underwent content analysis.

     The findings revealed that the developed care model comprised six core components: comprehensive preoperative patient assessment and preparation, intraoperative care with safety standards, systematic complication prevention, multidisciplinary team coordination, continuous monitoring and evaluation, and ongoing staff development. Following model implementation, nurses' knowledge of spine surgery patient care increased to 18.6±2.4 points, care behaviors improved to 78.9±6.2 points, surgical postponement incidents decreased to 2.18%, pressure ulcer incidence reduced to 3.85%, surgical site infection rates dropped to 0.96%, recovery time shortened to 3.1±1.2 days, patient satisfaction increased to 8.9±0.8 points, complete patient preparation rates rose to 93.8%, and standard care compliance improved to 90.6%. All improvements were statistically significant at p<0.05 (t = 8.45, 9.82, 4.23, 5.67, 2.89, 3.45, 6.78; χ² = 6.75, 6.85, respectively).