Purpose: Little is known about the experiences of people living with open surgical wounds. These wounds are common and predominantly affect young and actively working people. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the meaning of living with open surgical wounds. Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted. We collected data using two individual interviews with each of ten participants (aged between 18–73 years) who had open surgical wounds. Our analytical approach was based on qualitative content analysis. Methods are reported using COREQ guidelines. Results: We found that the meaning of living with open surgical wounds is shaped by five subthemes: “enduring healing”, “life disruption”, “adapting to a new reality”, “striving for healing” and “returning to normal life;” all under an overarching theme of “negotiating a new normality”. Conclusion: Participants’ well-being and everyday living are greatly impacted by open surgical wounds. Findings from this study emphasize that open surgical wounds are a longterm condition with a typical “chronicity” trajectory; this brings a new perspective to previous findings of studies on living with complex wounds. This study has also highlighted areas for further research, related to improving individuals’ experience of living with open surgical wounds.
| Language: | English |
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| Keywords: | healing by secondary intention, complex wound, lived experience, suffering, adaptation, quality of life, complexity, body image, qualitative content analysis, nursing |
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| Work type: | Article |
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| Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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| Organization: | ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Publication date: | 09.09.2022 |
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| Year: | 2022 |
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| Number of pages: | 15 str. |
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| Numbering: | Vol. 17, no. 1, art. 2123932 |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/RUL-140394  |
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| UDC: | 616-001-083:001.891 |
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| ISSN on article: | 1748-2631 |
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| DOI: | 10.1080/17482631.2022.2123932 |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 121321987 |
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| Publication date in RUL: | 14.09.2022 |
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| Views: | 638 |
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| Downloads: | 99 |
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