Experiences of patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery with strengths-based nursing care

Abstract

Objective: Strengths-based nursing is a new approach and care philosophy and it is still unclear how it affects patients in the surgeryperiod. The aim of this study was to determine the experiences of patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgerymanaged with this philosophy.Patients and Methods: This qualitative study consisted of 23 patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery in theCardiovascular Surgery Department of a university hospital in Izmir, Turkey. The data were collected using Individual IdentificationForm, Semi-structured Interview Forms, SWOT Analysis Form and Classification of Qualitative Strengths Form. Thematic dataanalysis was used to evaluate patient answers to the research questions.Results: According to the analyses performed, seven main themes consisting of “Perception of Being Strong”, “Perception of BeingWeak”, “Care Process”, “Effects of Heart Disease”, “Reason for the Occurrence of the Disease”, “Need for Knowledge” and “SolutionSeeking” were determined in the preoperative interviews, and five main themes consisting of “Perception of Being Strong”, “Perceptionof Being Weak”, “Surgery”, “Care Process” and “Education” were determined in the postoperative interviews.Conclusion: This new philosophy in patient management has positive effects because it increases patients’ hopes for life, healing andfacilitating adaptation to the surgical procedure.