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Life after sudden death: the development of a support group for automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
Insights
Sudden cardiac death survivors with automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (AICDs) need psychosocial support. Developing an AICD patient and family support group can help meet these unique needs.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Psychosocial Care
Background:
- Sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains a significant public health issue in the US.
- Advances like the automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (AICD) improve survival but create a patient population with distinct psychosocial needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the experience of establishing a support group for AICD recipients and their families.
- To highlight the role of support groups in addressing the psychosocial needs of this patient population.
Main Methods:
- Development and implementation of a support group model within a medical center.
- Focus on facilitating psychosocial support for AICD recipients and their families.
Main Results:
- The establishment of a support group provided a platform for addressing unique patient and family needs.
- Cardiovascular nurses can play a key role in facilitating such support initiatives.
Conclusions:
- Support groups are valuable in managing the psychosocial challenges faced by AICD recipients.
- Proactive development of support systems is crucial for comprehensive cardiovascular patient care.
Abstract:
Sudden cardiac death is one of the major public health problems in the United States today. Although the implementation of the automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator has been shown to improve the survival in patients resuscitated after sudden cardiac death, it has also resulted in a new clinical population with unique psychosocial needs. A support group may assist cardiovascular nurses in meeting these psychosocial needs. This article describes the experience in developing a support group for automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator recipients and their families in one medical center.