Objective:To understand the facilitators and barriers for patients returning to work after cardiac surgery, with the aim of providing a basis for future research.Methods:Using the descriptive phenomenology research method, 20 patients undergoing cardiac surgery at Beijing Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University were selected for semi-structured interviews from January to March 2023 by purposive sampling. Content analysis method was used to organize and analyze data.Results:The facilitators and barriers for patients returning to work after cardiac surgery were extracted. The three sub-themes of facilitators were perceived psychological and social support, personal factors, and occupational factors. The two sub-themes of barriers were the high postoperative mental pressure and postoperative daily dysfunction.Conclusions:Patients returning to their work after cardiac surgery is a complex process. A personalized multidisciplinary occupational rehabilitation plan needs to be developed to help patients after cardiac surgery return to work and adapt to potential obstacles to re-employment.