Women's experiences with short admission in abdominal hysterectomy and their patterns of behaviour

The aim of this study was to describe how women experienced short admission in abdominal hysterectomy and to describe patterns of behaviours in short admission. A Short admission is now widely used in Denmark in relation to hysterectomy and involves one to two postoperative days. The diagnostic, prognostic and clinical indicators are well described in the literature. Documentation however, is sparse regarding the experiences of the women involved. This article presents and discusses the women's own experiences and the impact of the short admission. The results are part of a lager evaluation of women and staff experiences overall. The design is exploratory and descriptive. Ten women who underwent a hysterectomy were selected consecutively from August 2001 and were followed from their initial examination to 1 month following hospital discharge. Data were collected by individual interviews. To grasp a complex reality and patterns of behaviour a typical-type methodology were used. As a result three types of women were identified: (i) The intervening type, (ii) the cooperative type and (iii) the unsure type. The women considered dialogue with the staff to be essential in short admissions. Women in this study who described emotional reactions considered it important that staff do not refrain from speaking about sensitive subjects. In conclusion the importance of dialogue creates new demands for the staff, as somatic care in this context has changed to be more oriented towards information and follow-up. The women in this study did not have any physical side effects but reported some psychological areas of importance. An outpatient clinic staffed by nurses could cover the needs of the woman.