Abstract
Vascular access devices (VADs) are essential for delivery of intravenous therapies. There are notable gaps in the literature regarding a focus on patient experience and meaning-making related to living with a VAD, specifically a central venous access device (CVAD). To explore how patients make sense of living with a CVAD. This study followed an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach. Purposive sampling was used to identify 11 cancer patients who had a CVAD in situ. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were performed. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and analysed by the lead author. Four superordinate themes were identified: the self under attack; being rescued/being robbed; protection of others/protection of self; bewilderment and dismay at lack of staff competence. Having a CVAD affects the psychological, social, and personal self and impacts on self-esteem and self-image. Despite this, CVADs are accepted by patients and are eventually 'embodied' by them.
Highlights
The purpose of this chapter is to place this study into the body of existing theoretical knowledge and research
Peripheral cannulation was described as a violent act that left participants feeling passive, traumatised, and victimised
A theme that was evident in the Tunnelled Central Venous Catheters (TCVC) and Totally Implanted Vascular Access Devices (TIVAD) groups, but not in the Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICC) group, was the ill-informed self
Summary
The purpose of this chapter is to place this study into the body of existing theoretical knowledge and research. The literature search described in Chapter Two revealed that the majority of published studies on life with a VAD are quantitative and elucidate only superficial details about the lived experiences of these patients. The analysis and interpretation of the spoken words of the participants in Chapter Five led to a deeper understanding of how living with a long-term VAD affected these individuals’ being in the world. The components of this process are described in detail, but the chapter begins first by considering the importance of these original findings and their key contribution to knowledge Such consideration is achieved by reflecting on the importance of IPA and its ability, in this case, to reveal an underlying process capable of explaining the experience of living with a VAD. As patients often live with these devices in place for many months, it is important to understand how patients with cancer make sense of living with these devices
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