Exploring nurses' experience of transitional care in the open-heart surgery intensive care unit and its requirements: A qualitative content analysis study

Transitional care is considered an effective strategy to ensure continuity of care. The comprehensive investigation of this concept and its requirements during patient transfer has been neglected. The aim of this study is to explore nurses' experience of transitional care in the open-heart surgery intensive care unit and its requirements.

Methods & Materials: 

This qualitative study was conducted using the conventional content analysis approach. A purposeful sampling method with maximum variation was performed among the nurses involved in the transfer process. Data were collected using 8 in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the Granheim and Lundman method.‎

The main categories included the process of patient transfer and transitional care requirements. The sub-categories of the patient transfer process included pre-transfer, handover, and care measures after settlement in the general ward. The sub-categories of transitional care requirements included psychological preparation of the patient, the necessity of consolidating communication, maintaining continuity of care, patient education, and support, and considering the family's position in transitional care.

The study concluded that transitional care is an interactive and dynamic process that extends from the physician's decision to transfer the patient from the ICU to the discharge phase in the general ward. Paying attention to the requirements of transitional care can provide solutions to strengthen and organize this process. Therefore, it is suggested to apply the findings of this study in planning the strategies related to transitional care.