The Lived Experience of Persons with Life-Sustaining Cardiac Devices

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of persons with permanent implantable cardiac devices. Purposeful sampling was by snowball method. Seven participants met the selection criteria with only three completing the data generation procedure. Interviews were guided by semistructured questions, conducted via the telephone, and electronically recorded. Van Manen’s (1990) phenomenological approach was used to analyze the data. Four thematic categories were identified: Longing and Loneliness, Dependency with Technology, a New Life, and Fear and Anticipation of Death. The experience of persons with life-sustaining cardiac devices is described as “dependency on technology is often expressed as longing and loneliness in anticipation of a new life while fearing and anticipating eventual death.” Implications are discussed and explained.

Lived experience of patients being cared for in ICUs in Southern Thailand

“…In the study by Locsin et al . (), they found that the experience of persons with life sustaining cardiac devices in the USA was that the patients desired a new life. After the implantation of a pacemaker, the patients described themselves as ‘having a new lease on a new life’ (p. 48).…”