[Evaluation of an information network and nurse consultation for breast reconstruction]

To evaluate the installation of a nurse consultation and an interactive support DVD in breast reconstruction. To judge utility of these new tools of information for the patients.

Material and method: The nurse consultation is carried out after the initial consultation of the surgeon; during this consultation, a DVD containing of the interviews is given taking again the information given as well as patients' evidence on their path of care. Evaluation of the information given by the surgeon and the nurse (eight items from surgical techniques to convalescence). Evaluation of the interest and comprehensibility. Quotation from 0 to 10.

Results: Evaluation by anonymous questionnaire on 110 women, between February and December 2007. Rate of participation: 72.7% (80/110); mean age: 51.5±9.2. Information given is considered to be useful (surgeon: quotation above 9.3/10 in function of the items, nurse: quotation above 9.4) and comprehensible (quotation above 8.7/quotation above 8.9). The information made by the nurse is more comprehensible than that done by the surgeon, for over all items. The nurse consultation is considered to be very useful (9.45). Seventy percent of the patients learned from extra informations, compared to the consultation of the surgeon. This consultation does not have a direct influence on the choice of the technique (5.45/10), the consultation of the surgeon remaining predominant. Fifty percent of the women still learned from new informations, by using the DVD. On the other hand, it has little influence on the choice of the technique (4.84/10). The nurse consultation and the DVD are well conceived because 80% of the women did not need more information. The predominant elements in the choice of the patients are the surgeon consultation, then the nurse consultation and then the DVD. The total index of satisfaction is very good 9.31/10 (surgeon: 9.24, nurse 9.56, DVD 9.11).

Conclusion: The nurse consultation and the DVD are not replacement components of the surgeon consultation. They are complementary and have an important role in the acquisition of information and the psychological support of the patients. The surgeon initial consultation remains predominent in the decision of choice by the patients, it must remain the most complete possible.