| Summary: | The aim of this study was to examine patients’ experiences of day surgery from a sociological perspective. Although there has been massive expansion in day surgery provision, both internationally and in the United Kingdom, there has been surprisingly little sociological research concerning this development. Within the space of three hours a patient is admitted to hospital, undergoes a general anaesthetic, followed by a significant surgical intervention and is then discharged home where responsibility for their care, which was previously performed by health service professionals, is now undertaken by the patient and their families. A study was devised to gain an understanding of the patients’ experiences within a sociological framework of analysis. One-hundred and forty-five patients and their relatives, from two different day surgery units within the United Kingdom, were recruited to the study. A qualitative framework, utilizing the grounded theory approach, enabled the researcher to gain deep insights into the patient experience. Fieldwork comprised semi-structured interviews and observation, as well as extensive use of field notes and memos. During a two-year span in the field, patients were interviewed on three occasions. The first interview took place in the pre-operative assessment clinic, where fitness for day surgery was assessed. The second and third interviews were carried out by telephone, at forty-eight hours and four weeks post-operatively. Data was simultaneously analyzed alongside data collection. Line by line analysis of the transcribed interview was undertaken whereby keywords and phrases were identified. Codes were then clustered into groups from which emerged core concepts. The core concepts which emerged from this study were: Time, the ambiguities of the Sick Role, Control, the importance of therapeutic relationships and formal communication. Recommendations include improved educational preparation for day surgery patients and their families as well as for the day surgery and community staff who are called upon to support the patient following discharge.
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