Engagement and detachment: understanding patients' experiences with nursing

Area of Science:

• Nursing Care
• Patient Experience
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Understanding patient perceptions of nursing care is crucial for improving healthcare quality.
• Post-operative recovery, particularly after major surgery like total hip replacement, is a vulnerable period for patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and understand the essential elements of nursing care as perceived by patients undergoing total hip replacement surgery.
• To identify key themes in patient experiences of nursing care during their recovery journey.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological approach guided by Husserl and Heideggar.
• Data collection through pre- and post-operative interviews with nine women recovering from total hip replacement.
• Analysis of interview data using Colaizzi's (1978) seven procedural steps.

Main Results:

• Two dominant themes emerged: 'engaged' and 'detached' nursing care.
• Patients described distinct differences in their experiences based on the level of nurse engagement.

Conclusions:

• Patient perceptions of nursing care significantly impact their recovery experience.
• Nursing staff engagement is a critical factor in positive patient outcomes and satisfaction.
• Implications for nursing practice include fostering engaged, attentive care to enhance the patient recovery journey.