Perioperative nutrition experiences of colorectal surgery patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Experiences of perioperative nutrition in people undergoing colorectal surgery: a qualitative study
IRAS ID
129180
Contact name
Vaneesha Short
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol
Research summary
This study will investigate the perioperative nutritional experiences of people undergoing colorectal surgery. Nutrition is an important part of postoperative recovery, and recent changes to nutritional aspects of care have been introduced with the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) scheme. Qualitative literature to date investigating patients’ opinions of ERAS has highlighted that the food and meals provided is the most important part of the scheme requiring improvement. Despite this, to date there has been no qualitative investigation in detail of patients’ experiences and attitudes specifically towards the nutrition components of ERAS.\n\nFour pilot interviews will be conducted in adults having colorectal resections. These pilot interviews will be used to determine the feasibility of interviewing at the participants’ bedside on the ward, and to inform the main study topic guide. For the main study, twenty to thirty people who have had a colorectal resection will complete a short demographic questionnaire and take part in a one-to-one interview during their inpatient stay, between postoperative day three and day of discharge. Topic guides for the main study interviews will be informed by reading the available literature and ward mealtime observations, as well as results from the pilot study.\n\nThe results of this study will provide insight into the perioperative nutrition experiences of people undergoing curative colorectal resections. The data obtained could help identify potential barriers and facilitators to feeding pre- and postoperatively. This could aid development of interventions to encourage preoperative and early postoperative oral feeding, as well as methods to emphasise the importance of perioperative nutrition in postoperative recovery.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/EE/0355
Date of REC Opinion
26 Sep 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion