Patients experience of warmth and coldness in connection with surgery – a phenomenological study

Abstract

Purpose: The aim was to describe patients’ lived experience of warmth and coldness in connection with surgery. Methods: A reflective lifeworld research (RLR) approach founded on phenomenology and the methodological principles of openness, flexibility, and bridling were used. The data consisted of 16 in-depth interviews with patients from four hospitals in Sweden. Results: Warmth and coldness in connection with surgery means an expectation to maintain one´s daily life temperature comfort. When patients’ needs of temperature comfort is fulfilled it give a sense of well-being and calmness. Despite the body is covered there are feelings of vulnerability. When patients have the ability to change their own temperature comfort, they feel independent. Conclusion: The individual feeling of temperature comfort could be affected or changed to discomfort during the perioperative context, and an intervention is required to avoid suffering due to the care. An ability to independently influence one´s own temperature comfort can strengthen the patient, whereas the opposite entails suffering in silence. The phenomenon is also related to feelings of confidence about receiving the best care as well as being exposed and vulnerable. When the patient´s need of comfortable temperature is met then feelings of security and sense of well-being emerged.

Keywords

• comfort
• experience
• hypothermia
• patients
• perioperative
• reflective lifeworld research
• surgery
• temperature
• warming