Psychological experience of falling in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction after PCI: a qualitative study / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the fall-related psychological experience of elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods:A descriptive research method was used. A total of 15 elderly patients with AMI who received PCI in Hefei Second People′s Hospital from April 2021 to July 2021 were selected by the maximum difference sampling method for semi-structured interview. Colaizzi seven-step analysis method was used to analyze the data.Results:The fall-related psychological experience of elderly AMI patients after PCI could be divided into three themes abnormal perception of fall risk (insufficient perception of fall risk, enhanced perception of fall risk); negative emotional distress of falling (fear of falling, foreboding sadness of falling outcome); the need for a safe home environment and a supportive monitoring system (need a safe home environment, rely on family/health care staff for support and supervision, lack of self-management information on falling prevention at home).Conclusions:Elderly patients with AMI have abnormal perception of risk of fall after PCI, and have negative emotions such as fear and sadness for postoperative fall. There is a certain demand for environmental safety and fall prevention support and supervision system in home cardiac rehabilitation. Nursing staff should formulate personalized early warning and intervention measures for them, pay attention to the psychological needs of patients, promote the role adaptation of patients, and provide continuous health services to prevent falls at home.