Authors: (including presenting author): :
Kwan CY(1) , Law KL(1), Chan PC(1), Wong MC(2), Wong YH(3), Lee MY(4)
Affiliation: :
(1)Kowloon East Pain Management Centre, United Christian Hospital, (2) Nursing Services Division, United Christian Hospital. (3)Operating Room, United Christian Hospital , (4) Day Surgery Centre, United Christian Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Postoperative Early Mobilization
Keyword 2: :
3D Innovative Gamified Animation
Keyword 3: :
Postoperative Pain Management
Introduction: :
Fear of pain and a lack of knowledge about moving with minimal discomfort often delay postoperative activities such as deep breathing, coughing, turning, and sitting up. This delay can prolong recovery and hospital stays. Although preoperative education is crucial, delivery is usually restricted by limited manpower. This project aims to develop a 3D gamified educational animation to enhance patients’ self-efficacy and confidence in early independent postoperative bed mobilization.
Objectives: :
This project develops a Cantonese-based 3D gamified animation teaching key postoperative bed mobilization skills (deep breathing, coughing, turning, sitting up). It incorporates interactive games to reinforce learning, enhance engagement, and provide a standardized, low-manpower educational tool for cross-clinical use.
Methodology: :
This project adopted a Design Thinking framework to develop a solution with timeline. 1. Empathize (April - May 2023): Clinical observations during postoperative care and informal discussions with nursing colleagues identified common issues: patients expressed fear of pain when attempting to move and lacked independent mobilization skills. Define (May - June 2023): Two core problems defined - fear of pain during movement & insufficient preoperative bed mobilization skills. Ideate (June - July 2023): The scripts of deep breathing and coughing exercises, turning in bed, sitting up from a lying position were written by pain nurses and validated by physiotherapists. Prototype (July 2023 – April 2025): Collaborated with a company to develop a Cantonese-based 3D gamified animation. The key features includes interactive games and characters design. Test (April - May 2025): Surgical department’s Chief of Service and nurses evaluated the app for usability and content accuracy. Feedback guided revisions were completed in mid-2025.
Result & Outcome: :
One surgeon and ten nurses from the surgical departments took part in the evaluation. Key strengths included easy navigation, realistic character design, Cantonese narration suitable for the local Chinese population, and intuitive use for elderly patients. The Chief of Service suggested explicitly emphasizing that patients should hold the stoma firmly during mobilization, deep breathing, and coughing. Feedback was incorporated into the final app version. A future pilot service will be launched after coordinating with other specialties to assess effectiveness.
