Nuo Chen,1,* Qingsong Zou,1,* Chunhong Gu,2 Qian Cheng2 

1Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, People’s Republic of China; 2Orthopaedic Department, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Qian Cheng, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 1111 Xianxia Road, Changning District, Shanghai, 200336, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 18121222110, Email chengqian@shsmu.edu.cn

Objective: To enhance the understanding of the challenges and needs faced by patients undergoing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) in preparation for discharge, this study seeks to provide a practical framework for devising effective discharge plans tailored to this demographic.
Methods: Using purposeful sampling, 15 patients who underwent UKA at a tertiary hospital in China between March and May 2023 were selected for face-to-face interviews, aiming to explore their experiences and needs during the discharge preparation phase. The interview contents were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was conducted to identify and refine themes and sub-themes.
Results: After analyzing the interview data, we identified four themes and eleven sub-themes that encapsulate the discharge readiness needs of patients undergoing UKA and nearing discharge, as follows: (1) Demand for guidance on rehabilitative functional exercises, which includes rehabilitation functional exercise knowledge, diversified teaching methods, demand for promoting adherence to rehabilitative functional exercises; (2) Demands for knowledge and skills related to disease management, encompassing knowledge of wound care, Pain management and medication safety guidance, daily life guidance, caregiver caregiving knowledge; (3) Psychological support needs, including anxiety and lack of confidence in rehabilitation, need for establishing an emotional support system; (4) Continuity of care needs, including featuring tele-information support and advisory services and home rehabilitation plan.
Conclusion: Patients undergoing UKA face various issues and needs during the discharge preparation process. It is imperative for medical staff to carefully assess these needs and tailor individualized discharge plans for each patient based on their specific circumstances, in order to facilitate postoperative rehabilitation for UKA patients.

Keywords: unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, qualitative research, discharge preparation