Nurses' Roles in Supporting Mental Health Among Preoperative Cardiac Patients in Kazakhstan: A Qualitative Study

Patients with cardiovascular disease undergoing surgery commonly experience psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and fear of mortality, which may negatively influence surgical outcomes and recovery. However, mental health support for patients with cardiovascular disease remains unprioritized in many healthcare systems, particularly in middle-income countries such as Kazakhstan, where mental health services are still fragmented and underdeveloped.

This study aims to explore and describe the mental health promotion strategies employed by nurses when caring for preoperative patients with cardiovascular disease.

This study employed an exploratory-descriptive qualitative design. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 13 nurses working in cardiac surgery units in Kazakhstan from February 3 to April 10, 2025. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study was conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines.

Initially, 96 codes were generated from the data. These codes were subsequently organized into 19 subthemes and further synthesized into four major themes: "Patient Emotional Support Needs," "Mental Health Implementation Strategies," "Challenges to Mental Health Promotion," and "Influencing Factors in Mental Health Promotion."

Nurses play a pivotal role in promoting the mental health and psychological well-being of patients with cardiovascular disease, with therapeutic communication and professional presence serving as fundamental components of holistic care. In Kazakhstan, this responsibility also requires adapting nursing management strategies to culturally grounded perspectives on mental health, thereby ensuring the delivery of compassionate, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive care that extends beyond physical recovery.