The Key to Life; A Twenty-Three Year Lived Experience of Living with a Ventilator in Hospital: A Qualitative Case Study

Technological advancements have greatly aided patients in various ways to address and control life-threatening conditions. One such biomedical technology is ventilators. Over time, the number of patients requiring ventilators for their respiratory support has increased. The objective of this study was to explore the lived experiences of a patient with spinal cord injury dependent on a ventilator.

This qualitative case study focuses on the lived experiences of a 31-year-old male who has relied on ventilator-assisted breathing for 23 years and has been hospitalized during this time. Data was collected through semi-structured interactive interviews. Data analysis was conducted using a phenomenological approach inspired by Van Manen.

From the analysis of the data, 170 meaningful units were identified, leading to three main themes: "fears and concerns", "satisfaction with agency", "life goes on", and eight sub-themes: "initial hard days, struggle with death, respiratory suffering, joy of training and Learning, participating in care, a family in the hospital, I'm comfortable on a ventilator, and living within God's eyes”.

Knowing about the experiences of ventilator-dependent patients leads to a better understanding of nurses and other caregivers towards these patients. Reducing stressful factors (constant monitoring, being on time at the bedside, helping the family to be with the patient and getting familiar with the environment), creating a situation for the client to have a sense of control, participation and hope in life (providing situations for decision making and the patient's participation in the care, the formation of learning opportunities, responding to spiritual needs and its cultivation) can provide them with sweet and satisfying moments.