Effectiveness of a Nurse-Led Care Transition Strategy After Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Pragmatic Trial

Background: Despite available evidence on care transition, significant gaps persist in practice and public policies. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led care transition strategy for patients with colorectal cancer, aiming to improve care transition, quality of life, and reduce hospital length of stay, readmissions, and emergency service use. Methodology: Randomized clinical trial involving patients aged 45 to 85 years. Those without access to landline or mobile phones were excluded. Results: Care transition was considered satisfactory. The intervention showed positive effects on quality of life, particularly in the domains of social functioning, fatigue, dyspnea, and insomnia. However, no statistical differences were observed regarding hospital length of stay, readmissions, or emergency service use. Conclusion: As a pilot study, benefits were identified in specific aspects, although no differences were found in some relevant clinical outcomes.