A Study of Health Care Experience of Femoral Fracture Patients After Open Reduction Internal Fixation at MahaSarakham Hospital

Abstract

The research was a phenomenological qualitative research aiming at studying the meaning of health and
experience of femoral fracture patients after open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) at MahaSarakham Hospital. The time
of study was from March to July 2014. The informants were 8 femoral fracture patients, 2 doctors from the Orthopedics
surgery ward, 7 head nurse of the ward and registered nurses and 1 physical therapist. The collection of data employed
in-depth interview. The data were analyzed with content analysis based on the Colaizzi method.
The results revealed the following:By interviewing 8 femoral fracture patients -7 males and 1 female - aged
between 17 to 46, it was found that most of them had a motorcycle crash. The treatment for 7 cases was ORIF with
broad DCP and for 1 case was using interlocking nail. The results are as follows:

1. The meaning of health after receivingORIF, from the perspective of the femoral fracture patients, comprised
3 main points: 1) feeling indifferent; 2) feeling confident having the broad DCP; and 3) feeling that the doctor was smart
to cure the patient successfully.

2.The health care experience after receiving ORIF comprised 5 main points: 1) the health care after the
operation; 2) the use and importance for life after the operation; 3) the effect on living; 4) the complicationafter the
operation; and 5) help needed from medical personnel comprises.

The results can be useful for developing guidelines for the prevention of re-fracture and implant failure at the
hospital in the future