Overview
In their third year of medical school, a student set out to find better ways to support patients after surgery. They were looking for proven, evidence-based strategies to reduce common setbacks — infections, slow healing, and lingering pain — that can prevent a smooth recovery.
The problem
The student began the research using surgical journals and medical literature, assuming this would give the most relevant results. However, the student soon discovered there wasn't a comprehensive view of post-operative care, particularly when looking for information about care outside the operating room. The search provided narrow results and insufficient information, and the student was at a standstill.
Seeking broader insight, the student turned to their institution's library for access to the LWW Total Access Collection: an extensive resource comprising medical, nursing, and allied health journals. During this expanded search, they encountered a nursing journal article that presented innovative post-operative care protocols led by nursing teams. Though initially outside the student's direct reach, the article proved invaluable, offering detailed strategies on wound management, patient mobility, and discharge planning — directly addressing the complications the student was researching.
The discovery pulled in patient-reported outcomes and recovery stats — a mix of facts and figures that proved crucial for the student, especially since that data can be rare in surgical research.
The solution
The student's understanding of post-operative care and recovery deepened significantly once their research was expanded. The project also benefited from being well-informed and balanced from multiple perspectives. It also helped the student recognize the value of collaboration in research and patient care.
Key takeaways
- Cross-disciplinary research fills knowledge gaps. Valuable insights can come from outside traditional subject boundaries.
- Nursing literature offers practical, patient-centered strategies that can enhance medical research.
- Access to broad healthcare packages, like LWW Total Access, empowers students and professionals to explore solutions more creatively and effectively.
Conclusion
This case study exemplifies how stepping outside the usual playbook can lead to important discoveries. The student’s experience drives home how valuable it is to work across disciplines — especially when tackling complex problems in healthcare. In the end, bringing medical and nursing perspectives together didn’t just shape the research project — it completely elevated it, underscoring just how team-based modern patient care really is.
