Compliance with postoperative instructions: a telephine survey of 750 day surgery patients

Patients undergoing day surgical procedures are given postoperative instruc tions not to drink alcohol, drive vehicles or make important decisions for 24 h. They are also advised to have a responsible adult stay with them at h ome overnight. Seven hundred and fifty patients were telephoned at 24 h pos toperatively to determine their compliance with these instructions. Four pe r cent of patients drove vehicles, 1.8% consumed alcohol, while one patient made an important decision. A higher proportion of patients (5%) drove aft er general anaesthesia than regional anaesthesia or intravenous sedation (2 .4%). The percentage of patients consuming alcohol was similar in both grou ps (1.8% vs. 1.9%). Four per cent of patients had no one staying with them overnight despite being accompanied out of the hospital. Patient compliance with instructions to not drink alcohol, drive or make important decisions may be improved by physician reinforcement of instructions and patient educ ation.