Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Author Spotlight: Workflow for Integrating POCUS Data into EHR for Managing Heart Failure Patients
Published on: July 12, 2024
The lived experience of adults with heart failure: a phenomenological study
M Paturzo1, A Petruzzo1, L Bertò2
1RN, MSN, PhD Student, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Insights
Living with heart failure (HF) involves significant life changes, social isolation, and confronting mortality. Spirituality and family support are crucial for coping with HF and its uncertainties.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Phenomenology
- Qualitative Research
Background:
- Limited comprehensive descriptions of the lived experience of heart failure (HF) patients exist.
- Existing studies have not fully captured the subjective realities of living with HF.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the lived experience of adults diagnosed with heart failure (HF).
- To provide a deeper understanding of the challenges and coping mechanisms of HF patients.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a hermeneutic phenomenological design.
- Conducted in-depth interviews with 30 HF patients in Tuscany, Italy.
- Employed Cohen's method and Atals.ti software for data analysis, ensuring trustworthiness through participant confirmation of themes.
Main Results:
- Seven key themes emerged: significant life changes, social isolation, anger/resignation, spiritual relief, will to live, future uncertainty, and disease/death inescapability.
- Patients experienced profound emotional and social impacts from HF.
- Identified coping strategies including spirituality and a strong will to live.
Conclusions:
- Patient-attributed meaning to their experience shapes care needs.
- Family support and religious beliefs are vital resources for HF patients.
- Findings offer nurses a comprehensive view of the HF lived experience to improve patient care and interventions.
Background:
Although a number of studies have been conducted on patients with Heart Failure (HF), they have not given a rigorous comprehensive description of what it is like to live with HF. The objective of this study was to describe the lived experience of adults with HF.
Study Design:
A hermeneutic phenomenological design was used.
Methods:
Cohen's method was used to conduct the study. Thirty HF patients were enrolled between February and July 2014 from an outpatient cardiovascular clinic in Tuscany, Italy. Phenomenological interviews took place at patients' homes, and the investigators analyzed verbatim transcripts. Once data saturation was achieved, to ensure data trustworthiness, participants were asked to confirm all the extracted themes. Atals.ti vers.7 was used for data analysis.
Results:
The patients were mostly male (67%) with a mean age of 71 (SD 9.15) and an age range of 48-86. Seven themes emerged from the phenomenological analysis: 1) important life changes; 2) social isolation caused by the illness; 3) anger and resignation associated with the disease; 4) relief from spirituality; 5) will to live; 6) uncertainty about the future and 7) the inescapability of disease and death.
Conclusions:
The meaning that patients attribute to their lived experience helps to create their needs, which are important to direct care. Family support and religious beliefs are an important source for HF patients to better manage their fears and cope with the future. Findings of this study provide nurses with a comprehensive description of what it is like to live with HF, which can be useful in helping to meet patients' needs more effectively and in tailoring interventions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:26Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations
01:30Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions
01:30Heart Failure IV: Classification and Diagnostic Evaluation
01:27Heart Failure I: Introduction
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
01:29Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology