From losing control to regaining control: Patient experiences of care for Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia

Recommendations for appropriate Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) care almost exclusively focus on preventing disease-specific outcomes like metastatic infection, relapse and mortality, rather than providing practical information on how to achieve person-centered care (PCC). We described characteristics and features of SAB care from a patient perspective and explored experiences regarding this care to formulate concrete recommendations for improving PCC in SAB patients.

One-time, in-depth, semi-structured, qualitative interviews with SAB patients ∼12 weeks post-SAB-diagnosis were conducted, including relatives if desired. Adult patients at risk for complicated SAB were enrolled from three Dutch hospitals using purposive sampling. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study adheres to the COREQ checklist.

Eighteen interviews revealed two major themes: losing control and regaining control as a patient. Within these themes patients detailed their needs, values, goals, preferences and personal circumstances. These experiences providedinsights into care organization and patient perceptions of care delivery by healthcare professionals, identifying important areas for enhancing PCC. Furthermore, findings indicated need for shared decision-making to be incorporated throughout the entire SAB care trajectory, especially during recovery and transitions in care, to better support patient empowerment and personalized treatment. Based on our findings, we have formulated specific recommendations for implementing PCC.

Our findings can assist healthcare professionals in enhancing quality of care by offering more PCC, ultimately aiming to improve treatment compliance, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcomes.

We identified the overarching themes losing control and regaining control regarding SAB patients' care experiences. It is essential for healthcare providers to recognize the transition from passive acceptance to active engagement in care. Our recommendations can guide healthcare professionals in adapting to SAB patients' evolving needs at each stage of the disease and in further shaping PCC for them.