Patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest: relatives’ experiences

The experiences of cardiac arrest survivors and their key supporters following cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-ethnography

AIM

To review qualitative studies on the experience of sudden cardiac arrest survival from the perspective of both survivors and their key supporters, including family/close friends.

METHODS

A seven-step meta-ethnography and synthesis of qualitative evidence was undertaken, informed by the Meta-Ethnography Reporting Guidelines (eMERGe). Four major databases were searched (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO; January 1995-January 2022, updated July 2023) for qualitative studies exploring survivors' and/or key supporters' experiences of cardiac arrest survival. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation - Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (GRADE-CERQual) were applied to evaluate the overall confidence in research findings. Constructs were identified from each paper, informing theme and sub-theme development.

RESULTS

From 15,917 unique titles/abstracts and 196 full-text articles, 32 met the inclusion criteria. Three themes captured the survivors' experiences: 1) Making sense of my cardiac arrest; 2) Learning to trust my body and mind; and 3) Re-evaluating my life. A further three themes reflected key supporters' experiences: 1) Emotional turmoil; 2) Becoming a carer: same person but different me; and 3) Engaging with a new and unknown world. However, limited data and some methodological weaknesses in included studies reduced confidence in several themes. The findings were conceived within the overarching concept of 'negotiating a new normal'.

CONCLUSIONS

The enduring psychosocial and physical sequelae of cardiac arrest survival substantially impacts the lives of survivors and their key supporters, requiring negotiation of their 'new normality'. The need for sense-making, physical and psychological recovery, and the new roles for key supporters should be strong considerations in the development of future interventions.

Prioritizing intervention preferences to potentially reduce caregiver burden in racially and ethnically diverse close family members of cardiac arrest survivors

AIM

Close family members of cardiac arrest patients who survive to hospital discharge have elevated levels of psychological distress and caregiver burden. We assessed their preferences toward needs during hospitalization and beyond to inform intervention development.

METHODS

Through an online survey developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, clinicians, cardiac arrest survivors, and families, adult close family members recruited through advocacy organizations ranked top choice among 8 unique interventions addressing either information-based needs (n = 4) or well-being needs (n = 4). Logistic Regression analysis was conducted to assess the associations of family members' attributes, caregiving characteristics, and survivors' hospitalization factors with two intervention groups.

RESULTS

Of 657 responses received, ranking data of 550 close family members (59% between 18-40 years of age, 65% female, 51% of minority race/ethnicity, 53% partners, provided a median of 8 hours of caregiving, for a median of 4.5 months) were analyzed. Information needs were the more commonly preferred intervention group (63%; n = 347), with education on the potential recovery of survivors ranking first (28%; n = 149). In a multivariate model, family members age >40 years, families witnessing the cardiac arrest, assuming the caregiver role either during hospitalization or within one month of hospital discharge, and discharging directly to home were significantly associated with prioritizing information needs over well-being needs, after adjusting for sex, race, intensity, and duration of caregiving.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions focusing on information needs are among the top priorities for families of cardiac arrest survivors. Prospective studies testing these hypotheses-generating findings are needed to inform further intervention development.

What Are the Care Needs of Families Experiencing Sudden Cardiac Arrest? A Survivor- and Family-Performed Systematic Review, Qualitative Meta-Synthesis, and Clinical Practice Recommendations

INTRODUCTION

Cardiac arrest care systems are being designed and implemented to address patients', family members', and survivors' care needs. We conducted a systematic review and a meta-synthesis to understand family experiences and care needs during cardiac arrest care to create treatment recommendations.

METHODS

We searched eight electronic databases to identify articles. Study findings were extracted, coded and synthesized. Confidence in the quality, coherence, relevance, and adequacy of data underpinning the resulting findings was assessed using GRADE-CERQual methods.

RESULTS

In total 4181 studies were screened, and 39 met our inclusion criteria; these studies enrolled 215 survivors and 418 family participants-which includes both co-survivors and bereaved family members. From these studies findings and participant data we identified 5 major analytical themes: (1) When the crisis begins we must respond; (2) Anguish from uncertainty, we need to understand; (3) Partnering in care, we have much to offer; (4) The crisis surrounding the victim, ignore us, the family, no longer; (5) Our family's emergency is not over, now is when we need help the most. Confidence in the evidence statements are provided along with our review findings.

DISCUSSION

The family experience of cardiac arrest care is often chaotic, distressing, complex and the aftereffects are long-lasting. Patient and family experiences could be improved for many people. High certainty family care needs identified in this review include rapid recognition and response, improved information sharing, more effective communication, supported presence and participation, or supported absence, and psychological aftercare.

The Meaning of Critical Illness for People Suffering From COVID-19: When a Frightening Unreality Becomes Reality

The aim of this study was to elucidate the meaning of critical illness for people with COVID-19. This study used a qualitative design. Thirteen people who were critically ill with COVID-19 during 2020 and admitted to a COVID-19 intensive care unit in northern Sweden participated in the study. Data collection was conducted as individual interviews with a narrative approach, and data were analyzed with phenomenological hermeneutic interpretation. The participants did not think they would get critically ill with this unexpected illness. They experienced terrible nightmares where their relatives had been killed, and they missed their relatives both in their dreams and in reality, as they had not been allowed to be with them due to the virus. Gratefulness was described for surviving. Participants described thoughts of not being able to imagine going through this again. They felt fear and loneliness, as a terrifying unreality had become a reality.

What are the care needs of families experiencing cardiac arrest?: A survivor and family led scoping review

AIM

The sudden and unexpected cardiac arrest of a family member can be a grief-filled and life-altering event. Every year many hundreds of thousands of families experience the cardiac arrest of a family member. However, care of the family during the cardiac arrest and afteris poorly understood and incompletely described. This review has been performed with persons with lived experience of cardiac arrest to describe, "What are the needs of families experiencing cardiac arrest?" from the moment of collapse until the outcome is known.

METHODS

This review was guided by specific methodological framework and reporting items (PRISMA-ScR) as well as best practices in patient and public involvement in research and reporting (GRIPP2). A search strategy was developed for eight online databases and a grey literature review. Two reviewers independently assessed all articles for inclusion and extracted relevant study information.

RESULTS

We included 47 articles examining the experience and care needs of families experiencing cardiac arrest of a family member. Forty one articles were analysed as six represented duplicate data. Ten family care need themes were identified across five domains. The domains and themes transcended cardiac arrest setting, aetiology, family-member age and family composition. The five domains were i) focus on the family member in cardiac arrest, ii) collaboration of the resuscitation team and family, iii) consideration of family context, iv) family post-resuscitation needs, and v) dedicated policies and procedures. We propose a conceptual model of family centred cardiac arrest.

CONCLUSION

Our review provides a comprehensive mapping and description of the experience of families and their care needs during the cardiac arrest of a family-member. Furthermore, our review was conducted with co-investigators and collaborators with lived experience of cardiac arrest (survivors and family members of survivors and non-survivors alike). The conceptual framework of family centred cardiac arrest care presented may aid resuscitation scientists and providers in adopting greater family centeredness to their work.

Experiences of family members of patients treated with targeted temperature management post cardiac arrest: a qualitative systematic review protocol

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to evaluate the experiences of family members of patients who receive targeted temperature management following the return of spontaneous circulation after a cardiac arrest.

INTRODUCTION

Since 2002, targeted temperature management has become an international standard of care for the preservation of neurological status for patients following a cardiac arrest and who remain comatose. During this process, survivors are placed into a mild hypothermic state with their body temperature maintained at 32°C to 36°C for a minimum of 24 hours. It is during this time that family members experience the uncertainty of whether their loved one will survive, or if any negative long-term sequelae will be experienced. While much is known about the physical application and management of targeted temperature management, less is known about the psychosocial aspects of this treatment.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

This review will consider qualitative studies that address the experiences of family members of adult patients who have received targeted temperature management following a cardiac arrest.

METHODS

CINAHL, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Source, PsycINFO, PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, Sociological Abstracts, and Web of Science will be searched for relevant studies. Studies published in English and French from 2002 onward will be considered. Two reviewers will independently appraise studies and extract qualitative data using the JBI standardized critical appraisal and extraction instruments. Findings from the review will be categorized according to similarity in meaning, and categories subjected to a meta-aggregation to produce a single comprehensive set of synthesized findings.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42020142942.

Influences of the culture of science on nursing knowledge development: Using conceptual frameworks as nursing philosophy in critical care nursing

Nursing knowledge development and application are influenced by numerous factors within the context of science and practice. The prevailing culture of science along with an evolving context of increasingly technological environments and rationalization within health care impacts both the generation of nursing knowledge and the practice of nursing. The effects of the culture of science and the context of nursing practice may negatively impact the structure and application of nursing knowledge, how nurses practice, and how nurses understand the patients and families for whom they care. Specifically, the nature of critical care and its highly technical environment make critical care nursing especially vulnerable to these potentially negative influences. The influences of the culture of science and the increasingly technical practice context may result in an overreliance on the natural sciences to guide critical care nursing actions and an associated marginalization of the caring relationship in critical care nursing practice. Within this environment, nursing philosophy may not be foundational to nursing actions; rather, the dominant culture of science and the rationalization of health care may be informing nursing practice. As such, the ideology and goals of nursing may not be central to the practice of critical care nursing. The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of the culture of science on the development of nursing knowledge and theory. Further, we aim to describe the value of using conceptual frameworks, such as Roy's Adaptation Model, as a nursing philosophy to influence the development of person-centred nursing knowledge and theory to inform critical care nursing practice as it related to the care of patients and families. In doing so, nursing philosophy is situated as foundational for nursing actions.

The significance of hope as experienced by the next of kin to critically ill patients in the intensive care unit

AIM

To examine and increase understanding of diverse aspects of hope as experienced by the next of kin when someone close to them is critically ill in intensive care unit (ICU).

DESIGN

A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach.

METHOD

The data were collected through five in-depth interviews with next of kin at the ICU in Central Norway. Data were interpreted to gain a deeper understanding on hope in an acute and critical context.

RESULTS

The analysis presents five main themes: (i) hope for survival, (ii) hope is fostered by signs of improvement, (iii) hope keeps fear for the worst at bay, (iv) hope that things will turn out well and (v) hope for the return to a normal life. Hope kept next of kin going during a difficult time and was strengthened when they saw their close family member responding positively to treatment provided by the ICU.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivorship: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Cardiac arrest systems of care are successfully coordinating community, emergency medical services, and hospital efforts to improve the process of care for patients who have had a cardiac arrest. As a result, the number of people surviving sudden cardiac arrest is increasing. However, physical, cognitive, and emotional effects of surviving cardiac arrest may linger for months or years. Systematic recommendations stop short of addressing partnerships needed to care for patients and caregivers after medical stabilization. This document expands the cardiac arrest resuscitation system of care to include patients, caregivers, and rehabilitative healthcare partnerships, which are central to cardiac arrest survivorship.

Development and External Validation of an Early Prognostic Model for Survivors of Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Despite therapeutic hypothermia, unconscious survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have a high risk of death or poor neurologic function. Our objective was to assess the usefulness of the variables obtained in the early moments after resuscitation in the prediction of 6-month prognosis.

METHODS

A multicenter study was performed in 3 intensive cardiac care units. The analysis was done in 153 consecutive survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who underwent targeted temperature management between January 2007 and July 2015. Significant neurological sequelae at 6 months were considered to be present in patients with Cerebral Performance Categories Scale > 2. An external validation was performed with data from 91 patients admitted to a third hospital in the same time interval.

RESULTS

Among the 244 analyzed patients (median age, 60 years; 77.1% male; 50.0% in the context of acute myocardial ischemia), 107 patients (43.8%) survived with good neurological status at 6 months. The prediction model included 5 variables (Shockable rhythm, Age, Lactate levels, Time Elapsed to return of spontaneous circulation, and Diabetes - SALTED) and provided an area under the curve of 0.90 (95%CI, 0.85-0.95). When external validation was performed, the predictive model showed a sensitivity of 73.5%, specificity of 78.6%, and area under the curve of 0.82 (95%CI, 0.73-0.91).

CONCLUSIONS

A predictive model that includes 5 clinical and easily accessible variables at admission can help to predict the probability of survival without major neurological damage following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Drone delivery of an automated external defibrillator - a mixed method simulation study of bystander experience

BACKGROUND

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) affects some 275,000 individuals in Europe each year. Time from collapse to defibrillation is essential for survival. As emergency medical services (EMS) response times in Sweden have increased, novel methods are needed to facilitate early treatment. Unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e. drones) have potential to deliver automated external defibrillators (AED). The aim of this simulation study was to explore bystanders' experience of a simulated OHCA-situation where a drone delivers an AED and how the situation is affected by having one or two bystanders onsite.

METHODS

This explorative simulation study used a mixed methodology describing bystanders' experiences of retrieving an AED delivered by a drone in simulated OHCA situations. Totally eight participants were divided in two groups of bystanders a) alone or b) in pairs and performed CPR on a manikin for 5 minutes after which an AED was delivered by a drone at 50 m from the location. Qualitative data from observations, interviews of participants and video recordings were analysed using content analysis alongside descriptive data on time delays during bystander interaction.

RESULTS

Three categories of bystander experiences emerged: 1) technique and preparedness, 2) support through conversation with the dispatcher, and 3) aid and decision-making. The main finding was that retrieval of an AED as delivered by a drone was experienced as safe and feasible for bystanders. None of the participants hesitated to retrieve the AED; instead they experienced it positive, helpful and felt relief upon AED-drone arrival and were able to retrieve and attach the AED to a manikin. Interacting with the AED-drone was perceived as less difficult than performing CPR or handling their own mobile phone during T-CPR. Single bystander simulation introduced a significant hands-off interval when retrieving the AED, a period lasting 94 s (range 75 s-110 s) with one participant compared to 0 s with two participants.

CONCLUSION

The study shows that it made good sense for bystanders to interact with a drone in this simulated suspected OHCA. Bystanders experienced delivery of AED as safe and feasible. This has potential implications, and further studies on bystanders' experiences in real cases of OHCA in which a drone delivers an AED are therefore necessary.

Family members' experiences of waiting in intensive care: a concept analysis

AIM

The aim of this study was to explore the meaning of family members' experience of waiting in an intensive care context using Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis.

METHOD

Systematic searches in CINAHL and PubMed retrieved 38 articles which illustrated the waiting experienced by family members in an intensive care context. Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis was applied to the data.

FINDINGS

In total, five elements of the concept were identified in the analysis. These were as follows: living in limbo; feeling helpless and powerless; hoping; enduring; and fearing the worst. Family members' vigilance regarding their relative proved to be a related concept, but vigilance does not share the same set of attributes. The consequences of waiting were often negative for the relatives and caused them suffering. The references show that the concept was manifested in different situations and in intensive care units (ICUs) with various types of specialties.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of concept analysis has brought a deeper understanding and meaning to the experience of waiting among family members in an intensive care context. This may provide professionals with an awareness of how to take care of family members in this situation. The waiting is inevitable, but improved communication between the ICU staff and family members is necessary to reduce stress and alleviate the suffering of family members. It is important to acknowledge that waiting cannot be eliminated but family-centred care, including a friendly and welcoming hospital environment, can ease the burden of family members with a loved one in an ICU.

Relatives' involvement in nursing care: a qualitative study describing critical care nurses' experiences

OBJECTIVES

When patients become critically ill it also affects their relatives. The aim of this study was to describe critical care nurses' experience of relatives' involvement in the nursing care of patients in an intensive care unit.

METHOD

Semi-structured personal interviews with eight critical care nurses in an intensive care unit in the northern part of Sweden were conducted during 2010. The interview texts were subjected to qualitative content analysis which resulted in the formulation of two main categories and five sub-categories.

FINDINGS

The findings showed that relatives' involvement was appreciated and seen as great resource for both patients and critical care nurses. Protecting the integrity of patients was one reason for limiting their involvement. The environment and lack of time were experienced as other obstacles to the involvement of relatives.

CONCLUSION

Aligning the needs of the relatives to be involved in the care with the needs of the patient and the work situation of the nurses requires open communication between all three parties.