ArticleJournal of perioperative practice2026
Surgery as a life transition: A qualitative study of patient experiences of person-centred care.
Article in Journal of perioperative practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionSurgery represents a profound life event rather than merely a clinical procedure, yet comprehensive accounts of the entire perioperative journey remain scarce, particularly in Southern European contexts.
objectivesThis qualitative study explored how adult patients experience perioperative care in a Portuguese hospital, interpreting findings through Meleis' Transitions Theory.
methodsEighteen elective surgery patients participated in semi-structured interviews postoperatively. Thematic analysis revealed that participants experienced surgery as interconnected transitions in which emotional, informational and relational care dimensions proved as vital as technical competence.
resultsEight themes emerged across the surgical journey: preparation, information processing, safety protocols, recovery room awakening, home transition, staff connections, waiting and uncertainty, and postsurgical reflection. Empathetic communication, consistent nursing presence and personalised support fostered security and control, whereas rushed explanations and inadequate follow-up amplified vulnerability.
conclusionConceptualising perioperative care as transitions reveals critical nursing intervention points. Structured communication, emotional support, carer engagement and tailored discharge planning are essential components of quality surgical nursing, transforming uncertainty into readiness and facilitating smoother recovery.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.