title: Life after sudden death: the development of a support group for automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator patients.
abstract: Sudden cardiac death is one of the major public health problems in the United States today. Although the implementation of the automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator has been shown to improve the survival in patients resuscitated after sudden cardiac death, it has also resulted in a new clinical population with unique psychosocial needs. A support group may assist cardiovascular nurses in meeting these psychosocial needs. This article describes the experience in developing a support group for automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator recipients and their families in one medical center.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Teplitz
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Egenes
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brask
mesh_terms: D000533:Altruism; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000295:instrumentation; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009013:Morale; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration*