title: Preserving the self: women having cardiac surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the process that women undergo when having cardiac surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A grounded theory approach was used to gain an understanding of the core process.
  
  
  METHODS
  A large community hospital with an active cardiovascular surgery practice and research center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten women, between 21 and 79 years of age, who had undergone cardiac surgery in the last 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Behaviors in which the women were engaged when having cardiac surgery were directed toward "preserving the self" while getting through the surgical experience. This process had five phases: waiting, getting there, surviving, being there, and moving on. Strategies used by these women in preserving the self throughout the phases were: relating, making sense of, managing, and normalizing what was happening to them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By having a clearer understanding of the process women undergo when having cardiac surgery, health care providers will be able to participate more effectively with women through their experience.
authors.affiliation: Student, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000523:psychology*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008606:Mental Processes; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept