BACKGROUND: Increasingly, there is a trend toward the use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for treating advanced heart failure, as both bridge-to-transplant therapy and destination therapy. Living with an LVAD profoundly influences patients' lives. Only a few study authors investigated the experience of people with abdominal LVADs, and nothing is known about the unique experience of those with retro-auricular LVADs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore and describe experiences and lifestyle adjustments in adults with retro-auricular LVADs implanted as destination therapy. METHODS: Interpretive description methodology was used to explore the experiences of a purposeful sample of 10 individuals with retro-auricular LVADs implanted as destination therapy. Data were collected using in-depth semistructured interviews. Data collection and analysis were simultaneous. Triangulation, journaling, and the "thoughtful clinician test" were used to increase trustworthiness of the findings. RESULTS: Three primary themes describing the experience of people with retro-auricular LVADs were developed: "a new life," "self-care," and "resilience"; in addition, a crosscutting theme was identified: "support system." This article focuses on the theme "a new life," described as a continuum of events. Individuals with advanced heart failure struggle with symptom burden and consider the implantation of the device as the final option to delay death; then, they wait for the surgery that represents a turning point, after which they begin to recover through a process of adjustment until they reach a new normality. CONCLUSIONS: Living with a retro-auricular LVAD impacts every aspect of people's lives. Knowing their experiences can help clinicians to develop targeted interventions and offer tailored support.

Luciani, M., Trenta, A., Jack, S., Moro, M., Patella, S., Di Mauro, S., et al. (2020). Adults Living With a Retro-auricular Left Ventricular Assist Device as Destination Therapy: An Interpretive Description. THE JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR NURSING, 35(6), E62-E69 [10.1097/JCN.0000000000000648].

Adults Living With a Retro-auricular Left Ventricular Assist Device as Destination Therapy: An Interpretive Description

Luciani, Michela
Primo
;
Di Mauro, Stefania
Penultimo
;
Ausili, Davide
Ultimo
2020

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, there is a trend toward the use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for treating advanced heart failure, as both bridge-to-transplant therapy and destination therapy. Living with an LVAD profoundly influences patients' lives. Only a few study authors investigated the experience of people with abdominal LVADs, and nothing is known about the unique experience of those with retro-auricular LVADs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore and describe experiences and lifestyle adjustments in adults with retro-auricular LVADs implanted as destination therapy. METHODS: Interpretive description methodology was used to explore the experiences of a purposeful sample of 10 individuals with retro-auricular LVADs implanted as destination therapy. Data were collected using in-depth semistructured interviews. Data collection and analysis were simultaneous. Triangulation, journaling, and the "thoughtful clinician test" were used to increase trustworthiness of the findings. RESULTS: Three primary themes describing the experience of people with retro-auricular LVADs were developed: "a new life," "self-care," and "resilience"; in addition, a crosscutting theme was identified: "support system." This article focuses on the theme "a new life," described as a continuum of events. Individuals with advanced heart failure struggle with symptom burden and consider the implantation of the device as the final option to delay death; then, they wait for the surgery that represents a turning point, after which they begin to recover through a process of adjustment until they reach a new normality. CONCLUSIONS: Living with a retro-auricular LVAD impacts every aspect of people's lives. Knowing their experiences can help clinicians to develop targeted interventions and offer tailored support.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
heart failure, heart-assist device, palliative care, qualitative research
English
2020
35
6
E62
E69
reserved
Luciani, M., Trenta, A., Jack, S., Moro, M., Patella, S., Di Mauro, S., et al. (2020). Adults Living With a Retro-auricular Left Ventricular Assist Device as Destination Therapy: An Interpretive Description. THE JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR NURSING, 35(6), E62-E69 [10.1097/JCN.0000000000000648].
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Adults_Living_With_a_Retro_auricular_Left.99318.pdf

Solo gestori archivio

Tipologia di allegato: Submitted Version (Pre-print)
Dimensione 374.87 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
374.87 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/262823
Citazioni
  • Scopus 3
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 3
Social impact