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- Berg, Katarina, 1959-
(författare)
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Patients’ perspectives on recovery from day surgery
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A large number of elective surgical patients in Sweden and elsewhere have their surgical procedure performed in a day surgery context. The surgical care event, with its postoperative surveillance, is brief at the surgery unit and patients are discharged home with the intention that they should manage postoperative recovery mainly themselves. However, several patients attest to being in an exposed situation when assuming responsibility for recovery at home. The overall aim of this thesis was to attain comprehensive knowledge of postoperative recovery following day surgery from a patient perspective.A questionnaire, the Post-discharge Surgical Recovery scale, was translated into Swedish and evaluated regarding its psychometric properties in a Swedish context. A sample of 607 day surgery patients who had undergone orthopaedic, general or gynaecological surgery self-rated their recovery at postoperative Days 1, 7 and 14 using the Post-discharge Surgical Recovery scale and the Quality of Recovery-23. Health-related quality of life was assessed before and 30 days after the surgical procedure, using the EQ-5D. In a second sample, 31 patients were interviewed in their homes regarding their recovery after day surgery. The interviews were conducted on postoperative Days 11-37, and focused on the meaning of recovery, self-care and perceptions of recovery. Data were explored by means of a phenomenographic analysis.The Post-discharge Surgical Recovery scale showed satisfactory psychometric properties when used among Swedish day surgery patients. Following discharge, recovery included both physical and emotional perspectives. Recovery varied, and influencing factors were found to be type of surgery, age, perceived health and emotional status on the first postoperative day. Orthopaedic patients had a more protracted recovery process compared to general surgery and gynaecological patients, along with more postoperative pain and lower health-related quality of life. Patients perceived that postoperative recovery comprised different internal and external factors and a large amount of responsibility regarding their recovery and surgical outcome. To be prepared for recovery at home, patients wanted knowledge and understanding about the normal range of recovery following their specific surgical procedure, and needed support from different sources in their surroundings.This thesis provides insight into day surgery patients’ postoperative situation. Based on the studies, individualized and well thought-out support appears favourable in order to have confident and well prepared patients at home. In contrast to smooth and easy patient care at the surgery unit, the postoperative phase seems to be a weak link in the day surgical continuity of patient care. Postoperative care needs to be further improved to increase quality and patients’ overall satisfaction with the day surgical experience. Attention should be paid to patients’ physical and emotional resources and needs.
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| 2. |
- Karlsson, Veronika, 1972-
(författare)
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Att vårdas vaken med respirator : patienters och närståendes upplevelser från en intensivvårdsavdelning
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In recent years, light or no sedation has become a common approach in patients who require mechanical ventilation (MV) when cared for in an intensive care unit (ICU). This new approach has resulted in medical advantages as well as a shorter time on MV and in the ICU. Aim: The overall objective of the thesis was to describe, illuminate and interpret patients' and relatives' experiences of caring and communication in connection with MV while the patient is conscious. Methods: The data collection methods were inductive and included interviews and observations, both audiotaped and video-recorded. The study group consisted of patients and relatives; fourteen patients in paper I, twelve in paper II and nineteen in paper III as well as ten relatives in paper IV. In paper I, the video-recorded interviews were analysed using content analysis and hermeneutics. The text in paper II was analysed using the phenomenological-hermeneutic method inspired by Ricoeur. The observations in paper III were analysed by means of a hermeneutic approach based on Gadamer's philosophy. In paper IV, relatives were interviewed on two occasions. The text from these interviews was also analysed using a hermeneutic method inspired by Gadamer. Results: The patients experienced an overall sense of being breathless. While conscious, they were aware of the mechanical ventilator as a life saver. Besides being breathless, being voiceless was considered the worst aspect. Communication was difficult and awkward as it demanded all their will power. Patients' communication patterns varied but there were commonalities; they also developed an individual style of communication. Being subjected to someone else's will and direction meant being painfully aware of one's dependency. Despite this, the patients struggled for independence in various ways as part of the recovery process. Being conscious while receiving MV demands caring communication, which in turn requires proximity, presence and constant attention by a nurse who is "standing by" and prepared to take care of the patient whatever happens. The patients' non-verbal communication through their gaze and facial expression was interpreted as sadness and sorrow, understood as expressions of unuttered suffering. The overall struggle and primary existential aim of relatives in the ICU is to be in contact with the patient, a need which overshadows everything else. Conclusion: Being conscious during MV means being painfully aware of one's dependency while voiceless and helpless. It is possible to endure this situation when the caregivers are "standing by", attentive to the patients' expressions, prepared to act to make sure that the patients are feeling better and do not leave them unattended. Caring for a conscious patient on MV presupposes nurses' ability to understand and be able to "standing by". If this approach is not possible, consciousness might be too painful and sedation should be considered.
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