Purpose: Day surgery is a common phenomenon and is associated with several benefits including cost-effectiveness. However, patients are required to manage their postoperative recovery at home. Patients undergoing orthopedic surgery are a particularly vulnerable group, and their postoperative recovery requires further investigation. This study aimed to describe the experiences of postoperative recovery of patients who had undergone orthopedic day surgery.

Design: A qualitative and descriptive study design was used

Methods: Participants were selected purposefully and included 18 orthopedic day-surgery patients who underwent surgery in October and November 2020. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from December 2020 to February 2021. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcribed data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. The process of analysis was done in several steps and resulted in four categories

Findings: Four categories that described the postoperative recovery experiences of patients who underwent orthopedic day surgery were developed: (1) Questions arose when I got home; (2) I wanted confirmation that I was on the right path; (3) I felt lonely and dependent on others; and (4) I strove to find a balance between activity and rest

Conclusions: For most patients, there was no follow-up after day surgery. However, patients expressed a desire for confirmation that their recovery process was within the normal trajectory. Most of the recovery takes place at home, leading to feelings of loneliness and highlighting the need for support from healthcare providers and close relatives. A phone call from a nurse after surgery might offer support, reduce feelings of loneliness, and promote a sense of safety. This study highlights the importance of systematic follow-up following orthopedic day surgery.