Date of Award

Fall 2021

Document Type

DNP Project

Project Team Faculty Member

April Schmidt

Project Team Faculty Member

Joseph Grazaitis

Keywords

ERAS, enhanced recovery after surgery, thoracic ERAS, fast track recovery, thoracic procedures, quality improvement, educational assessment

Abstract

A high prevalence of lung and esophageal cancers leads to significant healthcare dollars utilized for treatment and management. Surgical resection is regarded as a key component for multidisciplinary treatment and management of these cancers. By standardizing multidisciplinary patient care and utilizing evidence-based practice, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols for thoracic surgery have offered better outcomes with fewer complications and reduced healthcare costs. The anesthesia providers at the host facility were deficient in basic knowledge related to ERAS protocols and best practice management of thoracic surgery patients. The purpose of this project was to educate anesthesia providers on ERAS principles and introduce a thoracic surgery ERAS protocol tailored to host institution resources. Through multidisciplinary collaboration, a thoracic ERAS protocol was developed at a tertiary care center. An educational presentation was delivered utilizing Powerpoint to introduce ERAS principles and a standardized thoracic ERAS protocol. A post education survey was utilized to assess understanding of ERAS principles and willingness to implement the protocol into practice. Results of the project confirmed all respondents had a better understanding of ERAS principles and goals after the PowerPoint presentation. Anesthesia providers also indicated a high intent to implement the protocol into their practice. Limitations of this project are selection bias through volunteer participation and lack of generalizability with the protocol being customized to host facility needs and resources.

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