Iranian families' experience of receiving support during their patients' surgical process: qualitative study

The time spent waiting through the surgery of a loved one is stressful for family members because of their worries regarding the procedure and potential outcomes. In Iran, the attention and support of healthcare professionals focus almost exclusively on the patient. No studies have explored the related support experiences of family members. Understanding these experiences may facilitate the development by healthcare professionals of support strategies to alleviate the surgery-related stresses of patients' family members.

This study elucidates the support experiences of the Iranian families of patients undergoing surgery.

A qualitative design using a content analysis approach was used to gather and analyze the support experiences of 16 Iranian families awaiting the conclusion of their relative's surgical operation. The study was conducted at a university medical center hospital in an urban area in Iran. After employing a purposive sampling method to select participants, semistructured interviews were used to collect data.

Data analysis led to the development of two main themes: "interaction:" and "physical proximity." One significant finding was the role of productive interactions among family members to facilitate the passing of time and to provide a buffer. These interactions may take place among family members as well as among other companions.

The findings of this study may be used to guide nursing practices and may help change nursing attitudes toward the family members of surgical patients. By better understanding the experience of families, nurses may improve their professional actions and reduce the stress experienced by family members while waiting for the conclusion of surgery.