Table 2.
Summary of Thematic Analysis Findings and Illustrative Quotes.a
| Domain of Experience | Positive Experiences | Negative Experiences |
|---|---|---|
| Domain 1: Older patients’ physical needs | ||
| Comfort | It was her [staff] who told me, who arranged the nice armchair. She covered it with blankets, and put me on the chair, and then brought me a nice warm blanket to put around my shoulders. This was the moment I appreciated the most | You know, the lady next to me was snoring…And each time they opened the curtain, closed the curtain [separating beds]…you couldn’t sleep peacefully |
| Equipment supporting mobility and autonomy | Since I felt sort of well and since I was going to spend quite some time in the emergency, I said: “I am going to sit down,” and I had a nice rocking chair | There was no footstool to get on the bed. I couldn’t get back on the bed by myself. I had to climb on the bed |
| Help when needed | I went to the bathroom. He [staff] came help me open and close the door. He told me to ring when I was done. When I came out, there was a woman in the aisle, and she washed my hands and everything. I found it very good | I didn’t ask anything, but what I didn’t like was that no one came to help me remove my clothes to put on the hospital gown |
| Access to drink and food | And, other thing that I observed, the meal was correct, it was even good, I can say that | She hadn’t eaten for the entire day. I thought they had given her food at the emergency department, but they didn’t give her anything. It was 9 pm, and she was mad because she had not eaten |
| Domain 2: The needs of family members | ||
| ED care practices and policies involving families | My dad could be a good example of someone arriving with severe anxiety. In this case like this, I took care of this aspect. I was there, I talked to him, I calmed him down | It’s true that there is a surveillance for 5 minutes every half an hour [allowing family to see the patient], that I understand, but in the case of a person who has Alzheimer’s, I often find that it is a constraint because she [mother] might need me to be next to her |
| Space for family beside patients | We were able to be present there all the time. I was able to stay with my dad, and I was saying to myself I’m not privileged because sometimes I would look at the neighboring rooms and it was the same thing | You know, you keep asking him to climb on a stupid bed. The room is barely a closet, so even if you want to assist him to get on the bed, you can’t |
| Domain 3: Transitional care needs | ||
| Discharge information | I would say all, the reception, the staff, everything there, was very very very well orchestrated. It’s excellent what I was given as advice and for follow-up especially. I learned to do everything | Regarding the discharge, I left the same way I arrived, you know. No one said good bye, and I left. My grandson came to get me, and we left. There was nothing. There was no one even came to ask me whether I had any questions. It was over, you know. Let’s go |
| Resolution of health problems | We are very happy, very satisfied. My father is doing better, and I think the medical protocol has been followed very meticulously. Urinary problem is a minor problem but it gives major pain sensations, which is very uncomfortable. We were listened to well. We have to admit that my human experience went very well with my father in this context | Well, we came back in the middle of the night. I had an intense pain crisis here and there and became worried because we didn’t really know what was going on. So, we called the ambulance. I told [family member]: “we need to return to…” I felt like I had to return to the emergency, rather the hospital. So, the ambulance came to get me |
| Plans for further medical care | Doctor wanted to speak to the gastroenterologist before my mother leaves, and she had the blood tests results to receive and she gave them to us. It was reassuring, and we knew that we would have the follow-up the next day afternoon | I don’t know if she [emergency clerk] will call me to set up the appointment or if the rheumatologist office will, I don’t know. I am missing some information, but I didn’t receive any paper or prescription |
| Medication | The 2 pills [given at the emergency before leaving], one for the evening and one for the morning…This is excellent; it certainly helps a lot, especially late at night. The drug stores were closed since maybe 9, 10 o’clock. That helped me a lot | They contradicted the 2 doctors…one who said “you have a cyst behind, but you have to stop the Coumadin and then we will operate you…And then the other said: no, no, no, we must not stop, we must not stop the Coumadin, it must continue. So, that’s it, they both contradicted each other |
| Safe transport | One gentleman took me down to the door where the ambulances are and showed me where the phone was to phone for a taxi. And he came down with me to show me all that, which is good because I would have never thought of going that way | After being discharged from the emergency department, I found that I had to figure things out myself. The exit, I didn’t know where it was. I had to inform myself, talk to people, and find the exit, take a cab to get back home. The thing is when you get there, you are by yourself, you’re here for the first time. It isn’t obvious |
| Home care services | So, the [community health center] nurse had to come back in order to give her blood thinner and clean her wound | I’d have to find another place too. I do not have the energy, you know, to take care of it, and you have to go visit [places] you know…I need someone to do some of the shopping |
Abbreviation: ED, emergency department.
a Subthemes under each domain were tabulated in descending order, from most to least frequent for a given domain.