[The daily experience of the patient with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the daily experience of patients with an automatic defibrillator (AD) implant and the adaptive changes of the patient.


METHODS
Qualitative and phenomenological research. Collection of data through; initially unstructured interview with half of the informants, semi-structured interviews through an open questions guide after the initial unstructured interviews and use of personal narratives of the informants. Analysis of the data using the Van Manen proposal.


RESULTS
We analysed the interviews of 10 participants. We collected socio-demographic variables and identified the following themes, which respond to the question "How is life with an AD": It is life "with the two sides of the coin," living in constant wait and uncertainty, accepting change, developing adaptation strategies, renegotiating relationships and sexuality and it is to live transformed.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study can be integrated into nurse clinical practice in areas such as valuation after discharge, changes in habits, control of treatment, notification of shocks, masking detection of symptoms and strategies that can jeopardise the bearer. Research needs to be developed that looks closer into the influence of other technological devices in people.
Palacios-Ceña
Domingo
D
Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud II, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España. domingo.palacios@urjc.es
Alonso-Blanco
Cristina
C
Cachón-Pérez
José Miguel
JM
Alvarez-López
Cristina
C
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged