The emotional toll of day-of-surgery cancellations on patients - a qualitative study using participant observation and interviews

Surgery cancellation could be explained as a "butterfly effect" causing known and unknown consequences triggered by the initial shock. Various emotional reactions followed the event and patients' mental strength was shattered. Provision of empathic care and information during cancellation notification was essential. The prolonged waiting period subjected patients to a sense of being stuck in limbo, unable to move forward with their lives. Multiple new practical preparations had to be made, and trust in the healthcare sector might be compromised.