Experiences and care needs of post-discharge patients who underwent cardiac surgery: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aim: This study clarifies the physical, psychological, and social forms of distress in, and care needs of, cardiac surgery patients, including optimal times for supporting them in their post-hospital discharge daily lives. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. Participants included 12 adults (11 male and one female, mean age = 66.5 years) who had undergone cardiac surgery, experienced intensive care, and received outpatient care at the first post-discharge visit (around 2 ~ 3 weeks after discharge), around 3 months after discharge, and between 3 months and 1 year after discharge. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed based on similarities and differences for codes based on assessment items, and subcategories and categories were generated. Results: After surgery, patients experienced physical, psychological, and social distress. First, they experienced physical pain shortly after discharge. Moreover, as they recovered at home, a gap between their sense of their recovery and the perceptions of those around them about their recovery often persisted, which led to psychological and social distress. Patients gained a sense of safety through “assurance of physical recovery” and security through “shared subjective distress.”. Conclusions: Post-cardiac surgery patients seek reassurance and safety by sharing experiences owing to daily life distress. Our findings could help provide better support to meet the care needs of such patients.