When kidney transplantation is not an option: Haemodialysis patients' and partners' experiences-A qualitative study.
Christina Egmose Frandsen, Erik Bo Pedersen, Hanne Agerskov
PMID 32587730WHAT IT FOUND
Patients and partners described lifelong haemodialysis as reshaping daily life: fatigue, fixed treatment schedules, partners taking over household tasks, and uncertainty about the future.
They valued knowing the treatment and being supported as a team.
Key findings
01Patients reported fatigue that limited daily tasks and hobbies, while partners took on more household work.
02Patients and partners said understanding haemodialysis and being involved with healthcare professionals gave them certainty and a sense of control.
03Patients were determined to take life one step at a time, while partners worried about the future and made preparations for life after the patient's death.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only five couples participated, all from a Danish university hospital and only ethnic Danes, so experiences from other settings, cultures, and family structures are not represented. Participants were patients living with partners; patients living alone or in unsupportive relationships may have been less likely to take part. Refusal reasons were reported as lack of time or energy, but unexpressed reasons may have affected who was included. The study reports experiences and themes, not effects of any treatment or care approach.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that involving partners improves haemodialysis outcomes. It describes patients' and partners' experiences and perceptions, not tested effects.