Nurses' psychological impact of caring for patients with LVADs: Patients, providers, & caregivers "triangle of relationships".

UNLABELLED: Nurses risk developing psychological distress due to the nature of their work environments and patient populations. Nurses caring for Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) patients are at risk of distress related to stressful care requirements, patient relationships, and ethical dilemmas.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the impact of caring for patients with LVADs on nurses' psychological health and examine strategies for stress management.

METHODS

A descriptive, qualitative study was completed using a semi-structured interview process. Interviews with registered nurses working in various roles and settings included predetermined questions to provide structure while allowing for open-ended elaboration of the topic from the participant's perspective through natural conversation.

FINDINGS: Five themes were developed from interviews with nurses and include Caring for the LVAD Instead of the Patient; Right Implant, Wrong Patient; Complex and Connected Care; Mental Exhaustion and Life Balance; Effective Coping and Semi-effective Resources.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study provide implications for nursing practice and education surrounding the use of LVADs while highlighting the importance of emotional and mental health support in the workplace to decrease the burden experienced by nurses caring for these patients.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: The complexity of relationships with patients with LVADs and their multidisciplinary teams creates a workplace culture that fails to prioritize mental health support for nurses caring for these patients. Current support for nurses caring for patients with LVADs is not effective. Clinical practice settings would benefit in supporting nurses' mental health to allow them to remain mentally present, resilient, and effective clinically.