The fatigue experience of haemodialysis patients in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To expand the theoretical understanding of fatigue, this study used in-depth interview to explore the fatigue experience from haemodialysis patients' perspectives.


BACKGROUND
Fatigue is a common symptom experienced by the people with chronic diseases including those with renal failure requiring haemodialysis.


METHODS
Data were collected in a haemodialysis unit of a hospital in South Taiwan. Purposive samples of 14 participants were interviewed in-depth. Colaizzi's methods were used to analyse transcripts of the interviews.


RESULTS
Ten themes were delineated and classified into three domains. The first domain 'physical fatigue' consists of four themes: (1) habitual fatigue, (2) experiencing the uraemic symptoms (3) suffering from sleeping disturbance, (4) insufficient physical energy. The second domain 'affective fatigue' contains three themes: (5) detesting long-term treatment, (6) perceiving depression (7) and feeling exhausted. The third domain 'cognitive fatigue' includes three themes: (8) regretting lost cognition, (9) intentional isolation and (10) coping with fatigue.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings identify that fatigue is a multi-dimensional concept. By understanding the various aspects of fatigue, nurses may be better able to plan and provide fatigue-relieving strategies for haemodialysis patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The results can provide a direction for interventional studies designed to reduce the patients' fatigue.
Lee
Bih-O
BO
Nursing Department, Chung-hwa College of Medical Technology, Taiwan.
Lin
Chiu-Chu
CC
Chaboyer
Wendy
W
Chiang
Chiu-Ling
CL
Hung
Chuan-Chuan
CC
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan