It’s taken almost 2½ years but now finally the results SNAP-1 have been published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia.
This cross-sectional observational study measured selected patient-reported outcomes after anaesthesia in order to identify targets for research and quality improvement. The study recruited adults undergoing non-obstetric surgery requiring anaesthesia care over a 48h period. Within 24h of surgery, patients completed the Bauer questionnaire (measuring postoperative discomfort and satisfaction with anaesthesia care), and a modified Brice questionnaire to elicit symptoms suggestive of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia (AAGA). Patient, procedural and pharmacological data were recorded to enable exploration of risk factors for these poor outcomes. Anxiety and discomfort after surgery were found to be common; despite this, satisfaction with anaesthesia care in the UK is high. The inconsistent relationship between patient-reported outcome, patient experience and patient satisfaction supports using all three of these domains to provide a comprehensive assessment of the quality of anaesthesia care.
The study would not have been successful without the hard work of AARMY members throughout Yorkshire, so a big thank you and congratulations goes out to you!
