The Life of Patients with a Heart Transplant

Song, Yeoungsuk

Abstract

PURPOSE: The main purpose of this study was to develop a substantive theory on the life of patients with heart transplantation in the context of Korean society and culture. The question for the study was "What is the life of patients like with a heart transplant?". METHOD: A grounded theory method guided the data collection and analysis. Participants for this study were 12 adults who regularly visited a Cardiovascular ambulatorium in a medical center. The data was collected through an in-depth interview and analyses were performed simultaneously. RESULT: 'Developing a new life to live on borrowed time' was the core category in this study. It revealed two types of life, one is living in peace and another is thinking positive. CONCLUSION: This study provides a framework for the development of individualized nursing interventions to care for patients with Heart Transplantation. The findings may provide pointers for health professionals about ways to improve support for heart transplant recipients.