A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on Experiences of Patients Post Heart Transplantation

The present study was conducted to explore the lived-in experiences of post-heart transplant patients. This study with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was conducted on 23 heart transplant recipients in a tertiary hospital, AIIMS, New Delhi, India, from August to December 2020. Participants were selected through total enumerative sampling. Data were collected through semistructured interviews. The data analysis was performed according to Smith's interpretative phenomenological approach. COREQ criteria for reporting qualitative research were used. In this study, reported experiences were divided into eight themes: (i) sickness, (ii) psychological changes, (iii) waiting for the heart, (iv) doubting survival, (v) interconnectedness between recipient and donor, (vi) living with vigilance, (vii) living with a transplanted heart, and (viii) God's significant role. Transplant Day has arrived as a ray of hope in the recipient's life. However, life after a transplant requires strict adherence to the medical regime, programmed follow-up care, dietary restrictions, physical limitations, and family support. Uncertainty and unpredictability about the future were important concepts in this research. The study suggests heart transplant (HT) recipients need mental strength and specialized, focused psychosocial intervention besides preoperative and postoperative care during the transplant process.