Patienters upplevelser av livet efter hjärtstopp : en litteraturstudie

Sammanfattning

Background: In Sweden, approximately 8,500 individuals suffer from sudden cardiac arrest each year. Cardiac arrest means that the heart´s pumping ability ceases, and the body´s organs are deprived of oxygen. Rapid intervention with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation is crucial for survival. The nurse has a central role in providing support and care to patients after a cardiac arrest. Aim: To describe how patients experience their life situation after surviving cardiac arrest. Method: A literature review based on 13 scientific articles, of which four qualitative and nine quantitative, sourced from the databases PubMed and CINAHL. Results: The results consisted of two main categories and five subcategories. Cardiac arrest was described as a major life transition. While some survivors experienced gratitude, others reported a reduced quality of life and difficulties in adapting to the new life situation. The importance of support from family and colleagues had a positive impact on the survivors, while the results also showed that support from professional care was insufficient. Conclusions: Based on the results of the literature review, it can be concluded that the majority of cardiac arrest survivors experience a good quality of life one year after the cardiac arrest. At the same time, survival involved a major adjustment to a new everyday life, where psychological consequences and fear often persisted.