Lived experience, enhanced recovery and laparoscopic colonic resection.
OBJECTIVE
To explore patients' lived experience of undergoing laparoscopic colonic resection on an enhanced recovery programme.


METHODS
Eleven patients were interviewed at home, between 14 and 16 days following discharge. The transcribed interview texts were interpreted with a hermeneutical-phenomenological method.


RESULTS
Participants were keen to achieve their goals and participate actively in the enhanced recovery programme. They strived to return to full health as soon as possible after surgery, but all participants indicated that it was taking longer than they had expected. As they became more independent regarding their self-care needs during their hospital stay, participants noticed that the nursing presence became more distant, which could result in unmet psychological needs. Their recovery at home was perceived to be taking longer than it should and was often prolonged by symptoms. The minimally invasive approach associated with laparoscopic surgery led the participants to expect a lesser physical and psychological effect from this major surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses need to acknowledge and attend not only to the physical but also to the emotional needs of patients on an enhanced recovery programme, right up until the point of discharge. Nurses also need to prepare patients more fully for what to expect after discharge.
Nursing Lead for Enhanced Recovery, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
Imogen
I
Fecher-Jones
Claire
C
Taylor
D001294:Attitude to Health; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010535:Laparoscopy; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D017060:Patient Satisfaction
Enhanced recovery; Hermeneutical phenomenology; Laparoscopic colorectal resection; Patient experience