Pleasant freedom with suffering wounds: a qualitative study of post-discharge life in trauma patients recovered from coma.

Abstract

Background: Trauma patients recovering from coma face significant physical, psychological, and social challenges after returning home, which may adversely affect their daily lives and well-being. Exploring these experiences can inform care needs and guide tailored post-discharge support. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore post-discharge life experiences in trauma patients recovered from coma.

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis. A total of 17 trauma patients who had recovered from coma and had been discharged at least three months prior were selected through purposive sampling. For data collection, 20 face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved. Data analysis followed the Graneheim and Lundman approach. The rigor of the study was ensured using Guba and Lincoln's criteria.

Results: The findings revealed that the main theme of post-discharge life experience was characterized as "pleasant freedom with suffering wounds," encompassing three categories: "freedom from captivity of alienation and despair," "dubious pleasure," and "integration of real and imagined disability and helplessness."

Conclusions: The initial perception of post-discharge life among trauma patients who recovered from coma is profoundly shaped by the unpleasant experiences endured during ICU hospitalization. The sufferings experienced at home reflect a combination of real complications and imagined concerns arising from the severity of trauma, often accompanied by a false sense of disability and helplessness. These findings underscore the necessity of softening the ICU environment, implementing comprehensive discharge preparation, and providing effective post-discharge follow-up that addresses not only actual physical and psychological problems but also perceived or imagined sufferings.