Partners' ambivalence towards cardiac arrest and hypothermia treatment: a qualitative study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of partners of patients who had cardiac arrest and subsequent hypothermia treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU).


METHODS
Nine in-depth interviews were conducted 5 months to 1 year after hospitalization. The participants were partners of patients who had survived cardiac arrest and had undergone hypothermia treatment without serious brain damage. All the interviews were analysed using Giorgi's phenomenological method.


RESULTS
Six main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) terrified by witnessing the cardiac arrest; (2) ambivalence towards the ICU room and the cold body; (3) need for honest and realistic information; (4) anticipating the awakening; (5) social network as support and burden; and (6) the frightening homecoming.


CONCLUSIONS
The essential structure of the partners' experiences of loved ones' cardiac arrest and hypothermia treatment was characterized by ambivalence; they experienced both fear and relief. There may be a relationship between experiences before entering the ICU and reactions during hypothermia treatment and afterwards. Some partners experienced a feeling of guilt after the resuscitation event, and especially during the awakening phase. After discharge, the partners described feeling anxiety.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses play a pivotal role in providing partners with information and in nurturing hope and feelings of security. Partners need to fully understand the reason for hypothermia treatment to enable them to accept the cold body as part of a life-saving process. We recommend follow-up after discharge. This may increase the partners' sense of security and control.
Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. marianne.holm@helse-bergen.no
Marianne S
MS
Holm
Tone M
TM
Norekvål
Nina
N
Fålun
Eva
E
Gjengedal
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D036301:Qualitative Research