A sense of being rejected : Patients’ lived experiences of cancelled knee or hip replacement surgery

• BackgroundGrowing care queues, reduced access to care and cancelled surgery are realities for some patients being treated with total hip or knee replacement surgery in Sweden.Most of the patients on the waiting lists have experienced pain and limited motion for a varying period of time, with a negative effect on their everyday lives. Overbooked surgical schedules are already contributing to the lengthy waiting times, but, with the addition of cancellations, longer waiting times will increase still further and may affect patients’ well‐being.MethodsIn the present study, we aimed to illuminate the experience of having planned surgery cancelled, based on narratives from 10 participants. The interview transcriptions were analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach.ResultsThe comprehensive analyses revealed that the participants described the agony of being deselected and the additional impression of being excluded. Metaphors of being damaged and feeling physical pain were used and the interpretations referred to the cancellations as unpleasant. Additionally, the important relationship and the trust between the health workers and the patient were negatively affected by the cancellation.ConclusionAfter the cancellation, the participants expressed being vulnerable and from their perspective the cancelled surgery affected them deeply; in fact, much more than the healthcare workers appeared to understand. Therefore, information around the cancellation must be given respectfully and with dignity, in a dialogue between the patient and the healthcare workers. Taken together, to enable an opportunity to be involved in the continued care. The cancellations should be seen as an interruption, in which the patients’ chance of living a pain‐free, active life is postponed.

Subject headings

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)

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

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

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

Keyword

arthroplasty

cancelled surgery

lived experiences

orthopaedic surgery

phenomenological hermeneutic

qualitative interviews

social rejection

suffering to care

Människan i vården

The Human Perspective in Care

arthroplasty cancelled surgery lived experiences orthopaedic surgery phenomenological hermeneutic qualitative interviews social rejection suffering to care

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)