A Transformative Impact of Theory in Clinical Practice: A Study in a Cardiogenetics Clinic.

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of family members who have been referred to a cardiogenetics clinic following the loss of a family member to sudden cardiac death (SCD). These family members were evaluated in a Cardiogenetics Clinic in a Children's Hospital in the New York region, which utilizes an interprofessional approach to care. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experience of family members that were referred following the SCD of a family member. The researcher used hermeneutic dialectics and interviewed family members that attended the Cardiogenetics Clinic. Insights gained through discussion were discussed in the following themes: stories of feelings being heard, stories of meaningfulness, and stories of mutual process. This led to the transformation of the typical linear clinic process to a transformative and dynamic model for integrated delivery of care. This interprofessional model of care offers information regarding SCD, a genetic profile to determine risk for SCD, an integrative collaborative approach to care as well as nursing, medical interventions, psychological support, and counseling for families.