The lived experiences of patients on hemodialysis: a metha-synthesis

Abstract

Background: Treating chronic kidney disease is connected with receiving long-term dialysis therapy by patients. Hemodialysis is remains to be the most common means of therapy for these group of patients worldwide. Although it is life prolonging, the complex nature of treatment procedure affects the patients’ normal life and leads to have significant symptom burden. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to synthesize recent qualitative studies about the lived experiences of patients on hemodialysis.Methods: A synthesis was done by conducting a search on google scholar and PubMed data bases, reference lists were searched for primary articles and additional hand search on google was also done. Studies that satisfy the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools and published in English from January 1st, 2011 to September 1st, 2018 were reviewed.Results: Eight studies comprising of 94 participants were included in this synthesis. Three theme were emerged: Facing countless restrictions in life, having diverse outlooks towards hemodialysis machine and seeking education and competent care from health professionals. The first theme describes the physical limitations, social restrictions, financial restrictions, emotional distress, functional disturbances, and fluid and dietary restrictions that the participant experienced. The second theme, diverse outlooks towards hemodialysis machine, explains about participants positive and non-positive feelings towards the machine and the final theme, seeking education and competent care from health professionals, states the need of education and experienced care participants required from health care professionals.Conclusion: This review revealed hemodialysis patients have physical, social, psychological, financial and nutritional restrictions; a need of education and some positive feeling towards the dialysis machine. Identification of the key elements of the patient perspective can facilitate provision of high quality health care services that effectively meet the needs of patients on hemodialysis.

Ecos de Resiliencia: Navegando por las corrientes de la vida a través de la hemodiálisis - Experiencia vivida

“…Participants' descriptions of loss ranged from lack of physical stamina to loss of employment and prosperity, feeling dependent on others for financial, physical, or social support as they cope with their sickness. (8,11)…”

“…Their overall symptom load has been compared to those of individuals with advanced cancer. (11) Studies have explored the Quality of Life of patients undergoing Hemodialysis Quantitatively and reported that the quality of Life was low especially physical functioning, psychological, Social and Psychological aspects. (12,13) In order to properly handle these physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual changes, nephrology nurses and other health professionals working in nephrology unit need to understand the lived experiences in the unexplored areas among hemodialysis patients which will improve the quality of care.…”