Aim To explore the experiences of women with breast cancer undergoing a mastectomy and discharge from hospital within 23 hours of their stay.

Method A qualitative phenomenological hermeneutic approach using semi-structured interviews. A purposive sample of ten women were recruited from the breast unit in a single centre over five months identified by the breast care team.

Findings Six patients discharged within 23 hours had a positive experience of the pathway. However, four did not complete the pathway and had a negative experience. Main themes were initial reactions to the 23-hour pathway, surgery and inpatient experiences, experiences across the whole pathway, coping and the effect of the support network.

Conclusion Although the 23-hour pathway is safe and effective it may not meet the individual needs of all patients and does not offer a person-centred care approach. It may be possible to identify patients prospectively who are likely to have a negative experience and target support or amend the pathway to improve their experience.