Patients with Acute Kidney Disease in Need of Acute Hemodialysis and/or Apheresis: A Semi-Structured Interview Study.

Patients with acute kidney disease (AKD) may need treatment by hemodialysis and/or apheresis, which is often started in haste due to the life-threatening condition. To illuminate patients' lived experiences of being in acute need of such therapy due to AKD, we performed semi-structured interviews analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Eleven patients out of 104 were eligible and completed interviews. Six main categories were found - shock and emotional chaos, loneliness in an unfamiliar situation, a need for tailored information, emotional support from next of kin, the dialysis and/or apheresis experience varied, and the disease-conditioned life. An overarching theme emerged as, 'Will I survive? Will I be cured?' Clear and repeated information and personalized contact were requested to reduce anxiety and give hope during a time of crisis.