Patients' experiences of day surgery and recovery: A meta-ethnography.
Cathrine Ween Thoen, Monica Saele, Ragnhild Bjarkøy Strandberg and 2 others
PMID 38268268WHAT IT FOUND
Day surgery patients wanted realistic, tailored information and support they could absorb after anaesthesia.
Unexpected symptoms and no planned contact made them feel unsafe; phone calls, written instructions and family help were valued.
Key findings
01Many patients could not absorb information about postoperative exercises before or immediately after surgery while still affected by anaesthesia.
02Unexpected postoperative symptoms were frightening and often reduced patients' ability to manage self-care and everyday activities at home.
03Patients requested more planned professional support after discharge, including regular phone calls and follow-up appointments.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The studies report patients' experiences and themes, not whether any intervention improves outcomes. All included studies were from seven western countries, so care systems and patient expectations may differ elsewhere. Participants had varied day surgery procedures, so some symptoms and self-care needs are procedure-specific and not captured. The synthesis included only English, peer-reviewed qualitative studies with interviews less than 6 months after surgery, so other patients or experiences may be missed. Quality and reporting detail of included studies varied, and indexing may have missed relevant qualitative studies. Participants were adults discharged home on the same day, so findings may not apply to inpatient surgery or children.
Declared interests
The paper states no funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that phone calls, apps or written information improve day surgery outcomes. The synthesis reports what patients said helped them cope, not tested interventions with measured effects.