Surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a traumatic event that is felt beyond the survivor. Relatives too may struggle to deal with the consequences caused by the cardiac arrest (Haywood & Dainty, 2018). A recent scientific statement on sudden cardiac arrest survivorship recommends that post-cardiac arrest care should involve the relatives as a central and active part of the post-cardiac arrest pathway (Sawyer et al., 2020). Previous studies have suggested a lack of support and information increases anxiety during the transition phases involved in these post-cardiac arrest pathway
Aims Caring for an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivor may impact family caregivers’ lives due to the sudden onset of the illness and possible secondary cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges. However, experiences of caring for an OHCA survivor are sparsely described. Thus, this study aimed to explore how family caregivers of OHCA survivors experience the potential burden. Methods and results Using an explorative qualitative approach, six focus group interviews were conducted with a sample of 25 family caregivers of OHCA survivors and analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach inspired by the philosophy of Ricoeur. The OHCA survivors attended a rehabilitation course, and the family caregivers were interviewed as part of the course. Based on the analysis, three themes emerged: (i) feeling unexpectedly alone and invisible; the family caregivers experienced an emotional burden that could not be shared—leading to caregiving being a lonely experience, (ii) fear of loss; the fear of losing a loved one was a constant companion contributing to the burden, and (iii) adjusting to a new everyday life; the family caregivers had difficulties adjusting to living their lives on the premise of the survivors’ needs. Conclusion The findings of this study emphasize the burden experienced by family caregivers and how they can be trapped in competing emotions and tensions. The possible caregiver burden following OHCA should be acknowledged. Interventions to reduce the burden should be tested and implemented as part of the clinical care of OHCA survivors and their families.
Aims An individuals’ ability to perform basic activities of daily living (ADL) is said to be one of the strongest predictors of performance ability and independent living within the community. The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) tool was designed to assess global functional level during ADL by investigating motor and process skills. The purpose of this study was to assess ADL performance ability by investigating motor and process skills in a consecutive cohort of adult survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at the time of discharge from hospital. Methods and results This cross-sectional study uses data from a prospective cohort of cardiac arrest survivors admitted to the Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet. The specific data used in this study were obtained at the time of the days or the day before hospital discharge. Adult survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to cardiac causes were eligible for inclusion. Assessment of Motor and Process Skills was used to assess ADL performance ability by investigating motor and process skills. The ADL ability of 61 individuals was assessed. The mean ADL ability measures recorded were AMPS process 1.40 logits (0.48) and AMPS motor 1.82 logits (0.40). Based on the dichotomized AMPS results, 23% were most likely to need assistance to live independently in the community. Conclusion Performance ability during ADL revealed difficulty in the performance of process skill and an increased need for rehabilitation among survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at the time of hospital discharge.
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