INTRODUCTION: With empowering patient education, patients and their significant others can be supported to self-manage their condition better.

PURPOSE: The investigation of knowledge that significant others of patients undergoing total arthroplasty expect to receive, their preferences about information and control, and their preoperative emotions, as well as their correlation to significant others’ background factors.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive and correlative survey. Data were collected from 106 significant others (convenience sample) of patients who were undergoing total arthroplasty in three hospitals in Attica, using the Expected Knowledge of Significant Others Scale, questions about significant others’ emotions, and the Krantz Health Opinion Survey. The principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (2008) were followed. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and the appropriate statistical tests.

RESULTS: The 106 significant others had mean age of 51.99 years and were mainly patients’ children (53.8%). Significant others had high knowledge expectations (mean score ≥3.85), while they were experiencing anxiety, concern, and impatience frequently. Regarding their information preferences, they preferred an active role. The less significant others experienced negative emotions, the higher knowledge expectations they had.

CONCLUSIONS: The education of patient and her/his significant others, as well as the emotional support during hospitalization for a surgery are important. Further research is needed on the significant others’ expectations and preferences about their education during hospitalization, and the factors influencing these preferences.