ORTHOPEDIC NURSES CONFRONTING PATIENT CARE PROBLEMS: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW OF CLINICAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL DIMENSIONS

Author Name: 1. Dr. Amutha V. K. 2. Sumit Kumar Sharma 3. Ms. Bharati Keshavrao Tupe 4. Ms. Divya Rathva 5. Roseline Tigga 6. Roshni Thakar 7. Ms. Sleshpa Patel

Volume/Issue: 07/05

Country: India

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/10.2026-78524591/UIJIR

Affiliation:

1. Principal, The Oxford College of Nursing, Bengaluru, Karnataka
2. Professor-cum-Vice Principal, Government College of Nursing, MRA Medical College, Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh
3. Associate Professor, Dr. Hedgewar College of Nursing, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra
4. Associate Professor, RMS College of Nursing, Vadodara, Gujarat
5. Associate Professor, Krishna School of Nursing, KPGU, Vadodara, Gujarat
6. Associate Professor, RMS College of Nursing, Vadodara, Gujarat
7. Assistant Professor, RMS College of Nursing, Vadodara, Gujarat

ABSTRACT

Background: Orthopedic nursing involves the comprehensive care of patients experiencing musculoskeletal injuries, fractures, degenerative disorders, and postoperative complications. Despite advances in surgical techniques and rehabilitation, orthopedic nurses continue to encounter interconnected clinical, organizational, and psychosocial challenges that may influence patient safety, recovery, functional independence, and satisfaction. Objective: To integrate existing literature on the major patient care problems encountered by orthopedic nurses and identify evidence-informed strategies to improve the quality, safety, and continuity of orthopedic nursing care. Methods: This manuscript uses an integrative review framework informed by Whittemore and Knafl’s five-stage approach: problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis, and presentation. Relevant literature on orthopedic nursing, postoperative pain, rehabilitation, patient safety, psychosocial care, and organizational barriers was considered to develop a thematic synthesis. This is a preliminary integrative review manuscript; a reproducible database search, formal study selection, and documented quality appraisal are required before it can be reported as a completed systematic literature review. Results: The literature-informed synthesis identifies five interrelated domains of concern: (1) clinical assessment and prevention of complications; (2) pain management and symptom control; (3) rehabilitation, mobility, and functional recovery; (4) organizational barriers, including workload, staffing, communication, and inconsistent implementation of evidence-based practice; and (5) psychosocial challenges involving anxiety, depression, fear of movement, health literacy, family expectations, and financial concerns. These domains frequently overlap. For example, inadequate staffing may delay mobilization, insufficient patient education may reduce adherence to rehabilitation, and untreated anxiety may complicate pain management and recovery. Conclusion: Effective orthopedic nursing requires an integrated, patient-centred approach that combines clinical competence, safe staffing, interprofessional collaboration, psychosocial assessment, and continuity of care. Structured pain assessment, complication-prevention protocols, individualized rehabilitation, discharge education, and supportive leadership are promising areas for quality improvement. Future empirical studies should evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions across diverse healthcare settings.

Key words: Orthopedic nursing; patient care problems; integrative review; pain management; patient safety; rehabilitation; nursing workload; psychosocial care; evidence-based practice.