Operating room nurses’ experience about patient cares for laparotomy surgeries: A phenomenological study

INTRODUCTION: The primary purpose of the present study was to explain the lived experiences of operating room nurses in the field of patient care undergoing laparotomy surgeries. METHODS: The analytical phenomenological method was used. Ten operating room nurses employed in the operating rooms were selected using purposeful sampling. In-depth and semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Data analysis was also applied using van Manen’s six-step test. RESULTS: In this study, 749 initial codes were extracted, classified into three main themes and six sub-themes following the elimination of similar codes. The main themes included a positive view of patient care, preservation of the physical safety of patients, and consideration of patient vulnerability in the operating room. Moreover, responsibility, holistic care, readiness standards of the surgical environment, physical care provision, medical team malpractice, and lack of care context were considered as sub-themes. CONCLUSION: The operating room nurses’ experiences of patient care in operating rooms included a positive view of patient care, preservation of the patient’s physical safety, and consideration of patient vulnerability in the operating room.