Patients' and their partners' experiences of returning home after hospital discharge following acute myocardial infarction

Background: Returning home from hospital after an acute myocardial infarction [AMI] can be a period of vulnerability both for the patient and his/her partner. This study focuses on the time immediately after discharge. Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the patient's and his/her partner's experiences after hospital discharge following AMI. Methods: 15 couples took part in individual interviews, 4-8 weeks after discharge. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The results are presented by means of three themes, 'at home in one's own home', 'at home within oneself' and 'having normality in sight', comprising ten categories that describe the experiences of both the patient and his/her partner. Conclusions: The patients as well as partners described the period after discharge from hospital comprising ambitions of feeling safety in their home, an inner sense of security and seeking normalisation. The results of this study could be useful for nurses when planning for patient discharge. During hospitalization nurses can prepare both the patient and their partner for what to expect when the patient returns home. (C) 2009 European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.