Emergency Service Perceptions and Experiences of Patients: “Not A Great Place, But Not Disturbing”

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the emergency department experiences and perceptions of a group of patients who applied to the tertiary emergency department. The study was carried out using a qualitative approach. Forty patients who were admitted to the emergency department were included in the study. Data were collected by face-to-face interview. The frequency count (f) and participant codes (P) were used for the presentation of the findings. The themes and frequency counts obtained by analyzing the interviews with the patients were as follows: “Uncertainty/Obscurity: Anxiety and fear (f = 108),” “Waiting/being patient (f = 39),” “Pain and procedures (f = 119),” “Doctor and nurse comforting attitudes (f = 98),” “Being treated and recovering (f = 48),” “Calm and comfortable environment (f = 14).” This study showed that the emergency department is generally perceived as a healing environment, the most important need of the participants is to relieve the anxiety and fear caused by the unknown and the pain they feel.