Describing the Meanings of the lived Spiritual Experiences of Patients Transitioning Through Major Outpatient Surgery

Abstract

In the past ten years there has been a tremendous growth in outpatient surgery. Technical advancements in surgery techniques and anesthesia delivery have made it possible for lengthy, complex surgical procedures to be done on an outpatient basis. While surgery is dramatically changing, the basic nursing needs of surgical patients remain constant. It is widely accepted that most patients face the same spiritual issues of coping, hope, inner-peace and a sense of emotional and physical well-being, which have long been associated with the surgical experience, yet the newer processes necessitate adaptation at an accelerated rate. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the meanings of the lived spiritual experiences of patients transitioning through major outpatient surgery. The philosophical framework of this research was operationalized congruent with interpretive phenomenological methodology. The philosophic methodological approach of van Manen formed the foundation for this study while Munhall’s stepwise approach guided the methodology. Seven research participants who had just completed major outpatient surgery were recruited through a purposeful criterion based sample. The participant interviews resulted in rich descriptions of each individual experience framed within the context of the four existential life-worlds. After interviewing and readdressing the participant’s accounts, four distinct themes emerged. The identified themes were; a) a point in time, b) holy other, c) vulnerability in the operating theater and d) appraisals of uncertainty. Several suggestions for perioperative nursing practice were discussed as well as two general recommendations for future research.