Leading expert in cardiac surgery, Dr. Lawrence Cohn, MD, explains how family and friends provide critical psychological and physical support to improve recovery after a surgical operation. He details the immense value of overnight stays in the hospital, where loved ones can offer comfort, act as patient advocates, and help interpret needs to nursing staff, ultimately leading to better clinical outcomes.
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Optimizing Post-Surgical Recovery: The Essential Role of Family Support
Jump To Section
- Psychological Support for Recovery
- Overnight Stay Benefits
- Patient Advocacy and Communication
- Global Care Disparities
- Practical Tips for Families
- Enhancing Clinical Outcomes
Psychological Support for Recovery
Family and friends provide enormous psychological help to a patient recovering after a surgical operation. This emotional support is a cornerstone of the healing process. Seeing a familiar and trusted face can significantly reduce a patient's anxiety and stress levels. This positive psychological state is clinically proven to support physical recovery and improve overall outcomes after surgery.
Overnight Stay Benefits
Dr. Lawrence Cohn, MD, emphasizes the critical importance of overnight stays. At his institution, the Shapiro Cardiovascular Center in Boston, every patient room is equipped with a fold-away bed specifically for this purpose. This allows a family member to sleep in the room even on the first night after a major operation like cardiac surgery. This continuous presence is "very, very supportive" and provides crucial reassurance to the patient during vulnerable moments.
Patient Advocacy and Communication
Relatives and friends actively participate in post-operative care by acting as patient advocates. They can help interpret the patient’s wishes and needs to the nursing staff. This is especially valuable when a patient is in pain, disoriented from medication, or simply too fatigued to communicate effectively. This advocacy ensures that the patient's concerns are heard and addressed promptly by the clinical team.
Global Care Disparities
Dr. Lawrence Cohn, MD, notes that expert nursing care and sophisticated post-operative protocols are not universally available, particularly outside the United States. In these situations, the role of family becomes even more vital. They often take on direct caregiving responsibilities that would otherwise be handled by specialized hospital staff. This makes their physical and psychological support an indispensable part of the recovery ecosystem in many parts of the world.
Practical Tips for Families
The most important thing to bring someone after surgery is yourself. Dr. Lawrence Cohn, MD, advises that families should have as few restrictions as possible on their time with the patient. The goal is to stay with the patient for as long as possible, providing a constant, calming presence. This practical involvement is a powerful non-pharmacological intervention that aids healing.
Enhancing Clinical Outcomes
The involvement of family and friends directly contributes to enhancing clinical outcomes after a surgical operation. The psychological comfort they provide can lead to reduced pain perception, lower stress hormone levels, and better compliance with post-operative instructions. Dr. Anton Titov, MD, and Dr. Lawrence Cohn, MD, agree that this supportive role is a key factor in a successful and smooth recovery journey for any patient.
Full Transcript
Dr. Anton Titov, MD: How to help someone after surgery? Relatives can provide enormous psychological and physical help. They can help a patient recovering after a surgical operation.
How can families and friends help someone after surgery? Eminent cardiac surgeon shares his view.
Dr. Lawrence Cohn, MD: In some situations, expert nursing care and sophisticated post-operative patient care might not be available. This is especially true outside the US, at least not to the same degree as in the best academic hospitals in the United States.
So in those cases, a lot of relatives and friends take care of the patients. They participate in post-operative care.
Dr. Anton Titov, MD: What can a patient's family and friends do from a psychological perspective to help recovery of patients after a surgical operation? How to improve clinical outcomes?
Dr. Lawrence Cohn, MD: Here in the Shapiro Center, which is a cardiac surgery center in Boston, we do this. We have a fold-away bed in every single room, so the patient's family can sleep with them even on the first night of surgery.
I think it is very, very supportive. It is psychologically supportive for a family member to be with the patient every night when the patient is in the hospital.
Patients have to see a familiar face. Sometimes relatives or friends interpret the patient’s desires to the nurses, which is really very, very helpful.
A lot of places in the world have the ability to have relatives or friends stay with the patient in the hospital all the time. I think it's increasingly important.
Dr. Anton Titov, MD: It is crucial for family to be with the patient as much as possible after a surgical operation. Relatives should have as few restrictions as possible.
They should stay with the patient after a surgical operation, particularly at night.
Dr. Lawrence Cohn, MD: Yes, right. Particularly at night. Family and friends play a key role in recovery after surgery. The family should stay with the patient, especially overnight.