The Lived Experience of Venous Access

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study presented in this paper is to bring forth the voice of the oncology patients who have undergone venous access/cannulation, as there is a paucity of literature regarding this topic. This qualitative study used phenomenology to explore the lived experiences of participants in order to better understand the impact of repeated cannulation on the cancer journey from the patients' perspective. Methods: This phenomenological study explored the participants' 'lived experience' of being cannulated. Two rural oncology units in New South Wales, Australia, were chosen to recruit participants. Fifteen participants were recruited who had either completed a course of chemotherapy or were currently being treated. During individual interviews the participants were asked to discuss what it is like to be repeatedly cannulated. Individual interviews were audiotaped and the transcripts analysed using a thematic approach. Results: The themes that emerged as preliminary findings revealed that the patients' choices about how, when and where to be cannulated was limited and they felt that a "holistic" approach to care was often absent. Examples of patient vulnerability and medical paternalism are demonstrated via direct quotes from the participants. Adjunct to these findings, participants' also discussed how the experiences of cannulation broadly impacted on their cancer journey and on their experiences seeking further health care. Conclusions: It is anticipated that the outcomes of this study will improve understanding of the experience of being cannulated from the patients' perspective, which may contribute to best-practice and improved patient outcomes.