Mending Broken Hearts: The Lived Experience of Nurses Caring for Patients in a Heart Failure Clinic - A Pilot Study

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the lived experience of professional nurses who care for chronic heart failure patients.Background: Chronic disease can be devastating to the patient, family, and nurses who care for them. Patients and family members struggle with the debilitating effects and uncertainties that abound in living with this disease. The nurse is in a unique position to foster a therapeutic relationship with these patients. Professional nurses who care for chronic heart failure patients can often describe the needs and challenges of this population. These nurses may also provide insight into the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of their own experiences about working with chronic heart failure patients. To date, there has been little research conducted on the experiences of nurses who care for patients with chronic heart failure. This pilot study was an attempt to fill in some of the gaps related to this phenomenon.Methods: A phenomenological method was used for this qualitative inquiry. Three professional nurses employed in an outpatient heart failure clinic were interviewed.Results: Following Van Manen's technique for analysis, four themes emerged form the data: 1. Becoming like family; 2. Mutual rewards; 3. Sense of frustration; 4. Compassionate and Holistic Care. All three participants described examples of significant health care interactions and caring interventions that encompassed their work with heart failure patients in the clinic.Conclusion: The findings of this pilot study provide a rich description and a deeper understanding of the lived experience of nurses caring for chronic heart failure patients. Knowledge from this study may help to improve the quality of life for heart failure patients as well as recognize the unique contributions of nurses who care for them. Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the lived experience of professional nurses who care for chronic heart failure patients. Background: Chronic disease can be devastating to the patient, family, and nurses who care for them. Patients and family members struggle with the debilitating effects and uncertainties that abound in living with this disease. The nurse is in a unique position to foster a therapeutic relationship with these patients. Professional nurses who care for chronic heart failure patients can often describe the needs and challenges of this population. These nurses may also provide insight into the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of their own experiences about working with chronic heart failure patients. To date, there has been little research conducted on the experiences of nurses who care for patients with chronic heart failure. This pilot study was an attempt to fill in some of the gaps related to this phenomenon. Methods: A phenomenological method was used for this qualitative inquiry. Three professional nurses employed in an outpatient heart failure clinic were interviewed. Results: Following Van Manen's technique for analysis, four themes emerged form the data: 1. Becoming like family; 2. Mutual rewards; 3. Sense of frustration; 4. Compassionate and Holistic Care. All three participants described examples of significant health care interactions and caring interventions that encompassed their work with heart failure patients in the clinic. Conclusion: The findings of this pilot study provide a rich description and a deeper understanding of the lived experience of nurses caring for chronic heart failure patients. Knowledge from this study may help to improve the quality of life for heart failure patients as well as recognize the unique contributions of nurses who care for them.