Carers’ experiences of end of life care for people with H.F. V.1.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Bereaved Carers’ experiences of end of life care for people with Chronic Heart Failure.
IRAS ID
125238
Contact name
Angela Glynn
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Brighton
Research summary
The aim of this study is to describe and understand bereaved carers’ experiences of the end of life care that was given to the person dying of chronic heart failure. For the purpose of this project the word carers’s will be defined as a spouse, partner or close family member. Heart Failure is a chronic progressive disease with a high number of patients experiencing frequent readmissions to hospital. Patients typically have disabling symptoms that include breathlessness, fatigue, limited functional status and a poor quality of life. Other studies have looked at both the patients’ and carers’ perspective of living with heart failure but none have used a retrospective view from the carer to explore their own experiences of the end of life of a person with chronic heart failure. This is a phenomenological study which is interested in the lived experiences of people; the carer shared the experience of the end of life care of the person dying from chronic heart failure and it is their story that this research project seeks to explore.
Purposive sampling will be used by the select participants who are likely to own rich accounts regarding their experiences of the end of life of a person dying of chronic heart failure. Semi-structured interviews will be undertaken with 5-8 carers who have lost a person in the preceding 2-6 months. The interviews will allow the partipcant to describe their lived experience and explore what was important to them. The interviews will be digitally recorded, transcribed and analysis of the semi-structured interviews will be guided by Coliazzi’s (1978) phenomenology approach. The interviews will last between 45-60 minutes and will take place in an out-patient clinic or in the participant’s home.
The aim of this study is to have a better understanding of their experiences.REC name
London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1932
Date of REC Opinion
16 Dec 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion