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Securing life through technology acceptance: the first six months after transvenous internal cardioverter
1St. Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI 53201-2901, USA.
Purpose:
To understand the experience of living with a transvenous internal cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) during the first 6 months after implantation.
Design:
A grounded theory approach was used to gain an understanding of the antecedents, conditions, and consequences of the core process.
Setting:
Two midwestern community medical centers and patients' homes within a 250-mile radius from the medical centers.
Sample:
Ten women and 14 men between 22 and 78 years of age, who had undergone a new transvenous ICD implantation within the last week.
Results:
The core process that described the experience of living with a transvenous ICD during the first 6 months after implantation was the process of "securing life through technology acceptance." This core process was characterized by three major categories: choosing life with technology, integrating technology into life, and living life through technology.
Implications:
Nursing interventions related to individualized assessment, education, and counseling are warranted to facilitate patient and family understanding and to plan for the cyclic process involved in integrating a transvenous ICD into their lives. Directions for further research are provided.