Marta Lizarbe Chocarro1. 1. Servicio de Radiología Vascular Intervencionista, Hospital de Navarra, Pamplona, España. berbinlizarbe@hotmail.com
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the personal experience of patients with central venous access (CVA) devices: satisfaction, fears and concerns, the influence of the devices on their daily lives, and the healthcare received. METHOD: We performed a descriptive, longitudinal, prospective study in a sample of 50 patients with CVA devices withdrawn in the Angiography Unit of the Hospital de Navarra between August 1, 2006 and March 1, 2007. A 26-item questionnaire (Likert-like 5-point scale) was used. The statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 13.0 package. RESULTS: Fifty patients were interviewed, 18 men and 32 women, with a mean age of 52.54 years. The most frequent disease was colon cancer. The mean catheter dwell time was 369.52 days and the most frequent complication was hematoma. CONCLUSIONS: The patients were satisfied with the device and would be willing to have another inserted, if necessary. Patients tended not to worry about complications and perceived the catheter as a foreign body. Arm movement was hardly restricted. Nursing care of the device was deficient in some patients.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the personal experience of patients with central venous access (CVA) devices: satisfaction, fears and concerns, the influence of the devices on their daily lives, and the healthcare received. METHOD: We performed a descriptive, longitudinal, prospective study in a sample of 50 patients with CVA devices withdrawn in the Angiography Unit of the Hospital de Navarra between August 1, 2006 and March 1, 2007. A 26-item questionnaire (Likert-like 5-point scale) was used. The statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 13.0 package. RESULTS: Fifty patients were interviewed, 18 men and 32 women, with a mean age of 52.54 years. The most frequent disease was colon cancer. The mean catheter dwell time was 369.52 days and the most frequent complication was hematoma. CONCLUSIONS: The patients were satisfied with the device and would be willing to have another inserted, if necessary. Patients tended not to worry about complications and perceived the catheter as a foreign body. Arm movement was hardly restricted. Nursing care of the device was deficient in some patients.