The overall life-situation hinge on the balance between clarification and threats patients´ experiences 1 year after hospital rehabilitation due to severe fall or traffic accident

Getting on with life following trauma due to severe fall or traffic accidents is a challenging process. Some patients manage well, and some do not. What supports the rehabilitation process?

We explored spinal cord injured patients´ experiences in order to identify characteristics of positive and negative overall life-situations 1 year after hospital-rehabilitation

Interviews study with seven patients at Vestdansk Rygmarvsskade Center, Denmark. Inductive content analysis was used.

Patients´ experiences are characterized by four scenarios with respect to “clarification in relation to overall life situation” and “threat to core competences”. Clarification in combination with threat to core competences may explain patients´ overall life situation 1 year post-discharge.
High degree of clarification combined with low degree of threat to core competences was indicative of very positive rehabilitation outcomes. On the other hand, poor clarification led to a stressful life situation. When core competences can be transformed into new skills, threats were manageable. “Worst-case” scenario was characterized by low degree of clarification combined with a high degree of threat to patients´ competences.
The present study’s findings enhance the importance for rehabilitation-team to support clarification and balance threats in order for patients to achieve positive overall life situations following severe trauma.