The Empowerment of Clients through Preoperative Education

Abstract

The literature suggests that the education of clients is, in theory, an empowering process (Stewart 1994, Opie 1998). The empowerment of clients has been encouraged by the British Government and is seen as central to the occupational therapy process (Stewart 1994). In this initial case study of the empowerment of clients awaiting a total hip replacement, the data were gathered from four occupational therapists working in different preoperative education programmes. The aim of the study was to explore the ways in which these programmes were empowering for the clients. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with each participant. The occupational therapists' descriptions and discussions of their programmes, and the content of the invitation letters that they sent to clients, were analysed to assess any empowerment strategies. The findings suggest six different strategies that could be used to empower clients awaiting a total hip replacement. The findings will be used to design a preoperative education programme that empowers such clients.