Care Needs in the Phase I of Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Hybrid Concept Analysis

Background: Care quality improvement necessitates the identification and fulfillment of patients’ care needs. Yet, there is no comprehensive information about the care needs of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Objectives: The objective of this study was to analyze the concept of care needs in the Phase I of cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Methods: This concept analysis was conducted using the three‑phase hybrid model. In the first (theoretical) phase, the attributes of care needs were identified through a literature review. In the second (fieldwork) phase, data were collected through semi‑structured interviews and were analyzed through directed content analysis to determine the attributes of care needs based on the sociocultural context of Iran. Six patients, five nurses, and one surgeon were purposively recruited from two university hospitals and one private hospital in Ahvaz, Iran. In the third (final analytic) phase, the results of the first and the second phases were integrated, and the final attributes of the concept were identified. Results: The first phase revealed that the concept of care needs has three main attributes, namely physical, psychological, and social care needs. Besides confirming these three attributes, the second phase showed that the concept also has another attribute, that is, spiritual care needs. Conclusion: The concept of care needs in the Phase I of CR includes the four main dimensions of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual care needs. The findings of this study provide useful information for the careful assessment of care needs among patients with CAD.