Pleasant freedom with suffering wounds: a qualitative study of post-discharge life in trauma patients recovered from...

Trauma patients recovering from coma face significant physical, psychological, and social challenges after returning home, which may adversely affect their daily lives and well-being. Exploring these experiences can inform care needs and guide tailored post-discharge support. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore post-discharge life experiences in trauma patients recovered from coma.

This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis. A total of 17 trauma patients who had recovered from coma and had been discharged at least three months prior were selected through purposive sampling. For data collection, 20 face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved. Data analysis followed the Graneheim and Lundman approach. The rigor of the study was ensured using Guba and Lincoln's criteria.

The findings revealed that the main theme of post-discharge life experience was characterized as "pleasant freedom with suffering wounds," encompassing three categories: "freedom from captivity of alienation and despair," "dubious pleasure," and "integration of real and imagined disability and helplessness."

The initial perception of post-discharge life among trauma patients who recovered from coma is profoundly shaped by the unpleasant experiences endured during ICU hospitalization. The sufferings experienced at home reflect a combination of real complications and imagined concerns arising from the severity of trauma, often accompanied by a false sense of disability and helplessness. These findings underscore the necessity of softening the ICU environment, implementing comprehensive discharge preparation, and providing effective post-discharge follow-up that addresses not only actual physical and psychological problems but also perceived or imagined sufferings.