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Early Recovery Experience of Patients with Traumatic Injury in Taiwan

Tuesday, 13 July 2010

Bih-O Lee, PhD, RN1
Chi-Sheng Chien, MS2
Chi-Sheng Wu, MS, RN1
1Department of Nursing, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
2Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan

Learning Objective 1: This study aimed to explore the experience of patients with traumatic injury prior to hospital discharge.

Learning Objective 2: This study aimed to explore the experience of patients with traumatic injury prior to hospital discharge.

Background and Purpose: Individuals who suffer from a traumatic injury experience physical, psychological, social and cognitive disabilities, and their families and the communities are affected. These impacts of traumatic injury are interrelated and complicated, thus the recovery from traumatic injury is a complex trajectory. Little research focuses on the early recovery stage; however it may be important for short term and long term outcome evaluation following traumatic injury. This study aimed to explore the experience of patients with traumatic injury prior to hospital discharge.

Methods: Data were collected in a trauma unit of a hospital in south Taiwan. Exploratory phenomenology was applied in this study. Purposive sample of thirteen participants was interviewed in-depth and audiotaped. Colaizzi's methods were used to analyze transcripts of the interviews. Institutional Review Board approval was given by the research.

Results: Seven men and seven women were interviewed. Participants were 48.0 ± 12.5 years old. The average of the Injury Severity Score is 15.2 ± 5.2. Six themes were delineated. They are: (1) experienced acute pain after the injury, (2) unable to fulfill daily needs, (3) concern with impacts caused by the injury, (4) time needed for recovery, (5) applying multiple methods to restore one’s health and (6) attribute the accident to fatalism.

Conclusion: Findings from this study are both injury-bound and culture-bound. These findings may provide the basis to underpin the longitudinal follow-up for those experiencing traumatic injury, and give information to clinicians while caring this patient group.   

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