“As you ask, you shall receive” – a qualitative interview study on nurses' experiences regarding postoperative telephone follow-up

Introduction Follow-up after surgery reduces the risk of complications and readmission in patients. Ensuring a smooth flow of information at time of discharge reduces postoperative anxiety and is just as important as preoperative information. Providing advice over the phone is complex, a good assessment is based on experience and competence. Specialist nurses play a key role in the surgical nursing context, as they should serve as support to colleagues. Aim: To explore nurses’ experiences of telephone follow-up with patients who have undergone abdominal or thoracic surgery. Method A qualitative interview study with semi-structured questions was analyzed using content analysis. Fifteen interviews were conducted with nurses working in the surgical fields of abdominal or thoracic surgery at a university hospital in the Southern Sweden. The interviews were conducted in the autumn of 2024. Result Four categories emerged from the results: postoperative telephone follow-up, experience, influencing factors and person-centered care. The results show that less experienced nurses felt uncertain about making misjudgments. Experience and collegial support were important factors in providing security for the participants. There was a desire for extended orientation and knowledge support, as none of the participants had received training in this area. Discussion The study demonstrates that postoperative telephone follow-up is valuable in bridging knowledge gaps and fostering a sense of security for both patients and nurses. It underscores the need for better introduction for nurses, dedicated time, and further research into nurses' experiences and needs. Additionally, the importance of continuity is emphasized, as prior relationships with patients facilitate the telephone assessment.