A Nurse-Guided, Family-Involved Individualized Perioperative Management Multidisciplinary Team Model in Older Patients Underwent Cardiac Surgery

Miaomiao Cao,1 Tingting Wang,2 Yangchen Tang,3 Juan Wang,3 Song Jin3 1Department of Cardiac Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Song Jin, Department of Geriatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, No. 1, Tianehu Road, Zhengwu District, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-15395014716, Email jinsong23@126.comIntroduction: This study evaluated a novel multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach—integrating nurse guidance, family involvement, and individualized perioperative care—on outcomes in older cardiac surgery patients.Methods: A retrospective analysis included 198 patients aged ≥ 60 years (99 conventional care, 99 MDT) from November 2021 to January 2024. Outcomes included pneumonia, delirium, functional recovery (Barthel Index), and hospitalization metrics.Results: : Baseline characteristics were comparable. The MDT group had significantly shorter ICU stay (2.5± 1.9 vs 3.7± 4.8 days, p=0.019) and lower pneumonia incidence (29.3% vs 60.6%, p< 0.001). Total hospital stay and delirium rates did not differ significantly, but the MDT group showed a trend toward greater functional improvement (Barthel change: 20.6± 13.9 vs 15.6± 22.6).Conclusion: The MDT model significantly improved critical postoperative outcomes, notably reducing ICU stay and pneumonia. These results advocate for nurse-led, family-centered multidisciplinary care in geriatric surgery, warranting further prospective validation.Keywords: nursing, older adults, multidisciplinary team, perioperative, cardiac surgery