Patienters upplevelser av epiduralanestesi i samband med kirurgi - En intervjustudie av epiduralanestesin
ABSTRACTIntroduction: An increasing number of patients in Sweden receive epidural anaesthesia (EDA) in connection to surgery. Caring for patients with acute pain is a responsibility that is strongly established within the profession of the nurse anaesthetist. If the care provided by the nurse anaesthetist for patients who receive epidural anaesthesia is to evolve then further insight and knowledge is required regarding the individual´s experience.Aim: To describe patients' experiences in receiving epidural anaesthesia based on an earlier perioperative start-up of the EDA.Method: Based on a qualitative approach, the aim is to conduct semi-structured interviews with patients who receive EDA in connection to abdominal or gynaecological surgery. Research subjects' statements in the context of the interviews will be transcribed and then analysed using qualitative content analysis. In order to evaluate the chosen method regarding data collection and analysis model an exploratory pilot study was conducted. Three research subjects who received EDA in connection with surgery at Operation 4 (Sahlgrenska University hospital) were interviewed postoperatively about their experiences. The collected material in the form of personal accounts from the research subjects was analysed using qualitative content analysis.Result: The analysis of the transcribed interviews revealed four categories describing patients' experiences in receiving EDA: "Being prepared", "A feeling of being taken care of", "Having the courage to let go of control" and "The physical impact".Discussion: The findings in the pilot study contributed to a greater understanding of the individual patient´s experiences of EDA. However the authors conclude that further research is needed in order to shed further light on the subject. A full-scale study would also contribute to the nurse anaesthetist care becoming even more evidence-based, which is a fundamental foundation in the Swedish health care.Keywords: epidural anaesthesia, patients? experiences, nurse anaesthesia, postoperative pain