Experiences of Patients on Outpatient Hemodialysis Therapy Who Are Anticipating a Transplant

The person with kidney failure may experience many lifestyle disruptions that initiate distressing responses. This article reports on the results of a phenomenological study that explored the experiences of patients with kidney failure who were receiving outpatient hemodialysis therapy and who were either on the transplant list or in the process of being assessed to get on the transplant list. The participants described the existential distress they endured as a result of living with this disease and treatment; however, the participants' descriptions of distress were different than the psychological perspective of emotional distress depicted in the existing research. The information provided in this article can enhance nurses' ability to recognize and respond more appropriately to the distressing moods experienced by patients with kidney failure on outpatient hemodialysis.