Postoperative recovery from the perspective of day surgery patients : A phenomenographic study

• Background: Today, many patients undergo surgical procedures in a day surgery setting. The shift from inpatient care to care at the patient’s own home following discharge places various demands on patients and their families during the recovery process. There is a need for knowledge of how the postoperative recovery process is perceived, as research indicates a lack of support for patients managing recovery at home.Objectives: To explore day surgery patients’ perceptions of postoperative recovery.Design: A qualitative design with a phenomenographic approach was used.Methods and settings: Semi-structured interviews with 31 patients undergoing an orthopaedic, general or urologic day surgical procedure were carried out face-to-face at the patients’ homes, 11-37 days post-discharge. Patients were recruited from two day surgery settings: one private unit and one unit associated with a local county hospital.Results: The patients perceived postoperative recovery as comprising internal and external prerequisites and implied changes in ordinary life with varying levels of support. The organization at the day surgery unit, with its advantages and disadvantages, was perceived as having an impact on the subsequent recovery trajectory. The results are demonstrated in three descriptive categories: ‘Conditions for recovery at home’, The rollback to ordinary life’ and ‘Being a cog in a flow of care’.Conclusions: Postoperative recovery following day surgery implies, from the patients’ perspective, a migration from being a recipient of care at the day surgery unit to playing an active role, with extensive responsibility at home. To manage self-care confidently, postdischarge patients require knowledge and understanding of what constitutes the normal range in recovery following their specific surgical procedure.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Ambulatory surgical procedures

nursing

qualitative research

recovery of function

self care

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Hälsovetenskap

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)