PhD thesis
Evaluations and experiences of preoperative anaesthesia assessment clinics
Title of trial lecture
Will be published 14 days before defence.
- Trial lecture starts at 10:15
- Public defence starts at 12:30
Read Eirunn's thesis in The Norwegian Research Information Repository (NVA).
Disputation chair: Head of Department Dag Tomas Sagen Johannesen
The defence will be conducted in Norwegian.
Assessment committee:
- First opponent: Professor Axel Wolf, University of Gothenburg
- Second opponent: Associate Professor Maria Jaensson, Örebro University
- Head of Assessment Committee: Professor Siri Håvås Haugland, University of Agder
Supervisors in the doctoral work:
- Main supervisor: Professor Mariann Fossum, Department of Health and Nursing Science, University of Agder
- Co-supervisor: Associate Professor Anne Oppsal, Department of Health and Nursing Science, University of Agder
- Co-supervisor: Senior Physician Tor Oddbjørn Tveit, Hospital of Southern Norway
Summary of thesis
Preparation before surgery is an important part of the patient pathway and plays a key role in both patient safety and the quality of healthcare services. Many hospitals have therefore established preoperative anaesthesia assessment clinics, where patients attend consultations and assessments before planned surgery. The purpose of these clinics is to identify and manage risk factors, provide individualized information, and ensure that patients are as well prepared as possible for their operation. Despite their widespread implementation and recognition as an important patient safety initiative, there is still limited knowledge about their impact on patient care and healthcare services, as well as the experiences of the healthcare professionals working within them.
The overall aim of this thesis was to increase knowledge about the use of preoperative anaesthesia assessment clinics. More specifically, the thesis sought to evaluate the impact of these clinics and to explore the experiences of healthcare professionals working in them.
The thesis comprises three studies: a systematic review of existing research (Study 1), qualitative interviews with anaesthesia healthcare professionals (Study 2), and a retrospective before-and-after study based on patient records (Study 3). The studies were conducted within both international and Norwegian contexts.
The findings suggest that preoperative anaesthesia assessment clinics can contribute to more systematic patient assessments and improved preparation for surgery. The systematic review found that these clinics may be associated with fewer surgical cancellations and shorter hospital stays, although the evidence was limited by methodological weaknesses in the included studies.
Interviews with anaesthesia healthcare professionals revealed that preoperative consultations were perceived as making an important contribution to quality of care and patient safety. Participants described how the clinics could strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, support more efficient patient pathways, and promote increased professional development and responsibility, particularly for nurse anaesthetists.
The patient record study showed that patients assessed after the establishment of a preoperative anaesthesia assessment clinic had shorter hospital stays and more comprehensive documentation in their electronic health records. A reduction in surgical cancellations was also observed following the introduction of the clinic, although the difference was not statistically significant.
The thesis indicates that preoperative anaesthesia assessment clinics may strengthen the quality of surgical preparation through better planning, more systematic assessments, and enhanced collaboration between healthcare professionals. At the same time, the evidence base remains limited, and further research is needed to improve understanding of how these clinics influence patient outcomes, patient experiences, and the quality of healthcare services.
About the candidate
Eirunn Wallevik Kristoffersen (born 1981) is a PhD candidate at the Department of Health and Nursing Science, University of Agder. She earned her nursing degree from Agder University College (now the University of Agder) and has clinical experience from surgical, medical, and intensive care units. In 2016, she completed a Master's degree in Nurse Anaesthesia. Her master's thesis explored patients' experiences during the preoperative and intraoperative phases of care.
Her doctoral research has been conducted in collaboration between the University of Agder and Sørlandet Hospital. Kristoffersen has been affiliated with the national research school PROFRES and is employed as a university lecturer at University of Agder. She is currently on leave from her position as a nurse anaesthetist at Sørlandet Hospital and has combined research with clinical practice throughout much of her doctoral journey.
What to do as an online audience member
The disputation is open to the public. To follow the trial lecture and the public defence online, register on Zoom.
We ask online audience members to join no earlier than 10 minutes in advance. After these times, you can leave and rejoin the meeting at any time.
Opponent ex auditorio:
Deadline for the public to pose questions is during the break between the two opponents. Questions ex auditorio can be submitted to disputation chair Dag Tomas Sagen Johannesen dag.t.johannesen@uia.no, cc to PhD adm emma.e.horneman@uia.no.