Addressing spouses' unique needs after cardiac surgery when recovery is complicated by heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Cardiac surgery places extensive stress on spouses who often are more worried than the patients themselves. Spouses can experience difficult and demanding situations when the partner becomes critically ill.


OBJECTIVE
To identify, describe, and conceptualize the individual needs of spouses of patients with complications of heart failure after cardiac surgery.


METHODS
Grounded theory using a mix of systematic coding, data analysis, and theoretical sampling was performed. Spouses, 10 women and 3 men between 39 and 85 years, were interviewed.


RESULTS
During analysis, the core category of confirmation was identified as describing the individual needs of the spouses. The core category theoretically binds together three underlying subcategories: security, rest for mind and body, and inner strength. Confirmation facilitated acceptance and improvement of mental and physical health among spouses.


CONCLUSIONS
By identifying spouses' needs for security, rest for mind and body, and inner strength, health care professionals can confirm these needs throughout the caring process, from the critical care period and throughout rehabilitation at home. Interventions to confirm spouses' needs are important because they are vital to the patients' recovery.
Agren
Susanna
S
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Linköping University Hospital and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Nursing Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping S-58185, Sweden. susanna.agren@liu.se
Frisman
Gunilla Hollman
GH
Berg
Sören
S
Svedjeholm
Rolf
R
Strömberg
Anna
A
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013548:Sweden