An exploration of the information needs of the spouse/partner following CABG

Abstract

Spouses or partners have a direct role in the patient's progress after experiencing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery. Thus, they require information that is adequate and of good quality to help them assist the patient during recovery. This study aimed to explore the type of information given by healthcare professionals in a local state-run hospital and the type of information required by the spouse/partner to assist the recovering patient after CABG. A phenomenological approach was used to explore this topic. Six spouses of CABG patients were selected using a unique sampling method, and were asked to participate in the study 4-6 months after the patient's surgery. All spouses accepted to take part immediately and semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data. The findings were analyzed using the method developed by Colaizzi in 1975. The results indicated that the participants suffered from symptoms of anxiety and depression caused by the experience. The spouses adopted a caregiver role and acted as a source of support after CABG to assist the rehabilitating patient. 5 out of 6 participants were fairly satisfied with the information received. Nonetheless, the need for individualized information emerged in the findings of the study. It was recommended that healthcare professionals identify the spouses' needs and provide information accordingly to involve them in care. Further research using quantitative methods may be useful to obtain findings that are more representative of the target population. Moreover, there is a gap in the literature regarding other needs of the spouse or partner of the cardiac patient. Thus, a need for future research in this field was identified.