Nurse Led Follow-up After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Nurse Led Follow-up After Total Knee Arthroplasty - a Randomized Trial

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of nurse led follow-up following total knee arthroplasty in regard to physical function, health related quality of life and self-efficacy.

Due to shorter hospitalization the patients early have to be responsible for their own rehabilitation. However, the patients experience a variety of health related problems in the rehabilitations period following total knee arthroplasty and they have difficulties transferring health related information to their home settings. Nurse led follow-up in the early rehabilitation period might improve the health status of the patients by improving their knowledge and skills to handle health related problems. No studies found has investigated the effect of nurse led follow-up in form of telephone call following total knee arthroplasty.

Inclusion Criteria:

• primary first-time total knee arthroplasty due to osteoarthrosis
• followed conventional admission course and discharged ≤ 4 days after surgery
• understand and talk Danish
• signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• in terminal phase of another serious illness such as i.e. cancer with expected lifetime less than 6 months
• previous total hip replacement