A Thematic Qualitative Synthesis on the Lived Experiences of Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices: A Journey From Vulnerability to Resilience.
Dimitra Koutsavli, Antonia Kalogianni, Evdokia Misouridou and 3 others
PMID 41510592WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with left ventricular assist devices describe a journey from vulnerability to resilience, marked by stigma, fear of device failure, and identity loss.
Critical care nurses are positioned to support early coping through holistic, person-centred care that addresses these psychosocial burdens.
Key findings
01Patients frequently experience stigma related to the visible nature of the device, leading to social withdrawal and hiding the equipment from others.
02A sense of liminality, or being stuck between life and death, causes temporal disruption and identity fragmentation, which persists beyond the acute care phase.
03Adaptation involves moving from fear and despair to gratitude and acceptance, often supported by social connections and reframing the device as a second chance.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included only English-language studies, which may introduce language bias. Generalisability is limited by the specific regional and cultural contexts of the included qualitative studies. Heterogeneity in study designs and patient characteristics across the included studies affects comparability. The synthesis did not distinguish between bridge-to-transplant and destination therapy cohorts due to unclear reporting in primary studies.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest and have nothing to report regarding funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this synthesis as evidence that specific nursing interventions improve clinical outcomes like survival or device functionality. The findings describe patient experiences and coping processes; they do not test the efficacy of nursing care models.