Comfort Issues: Injection-related Experiences of Patients with Rheumatic Heart Disease

The purpose of this study is to delve into the experiences of individuals who underwent injection-related treatment with rheumatic heart disease. The study also explored the physical and psychological outcomes experienced by the informants after the treatment.The phenomenological research design was used in this study. The study interviewed five informants diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease, currently having injection shots in the hospital. Informants were purposively selected by the researchers. This study was conducted in Agusan del Sur, Philippines and all informants were interviewed in their respective houses. The researchers utilized a structured interview guide to collect the data. Meaningful information was formulated and organized into themes.Based on the findings of the study, majority of the research participants experienced severe traumatic pain experienced after injection treatment. There were eight themes formulated in this study: Severe pain as experienced by informants; Experienced and skilled nurses to administer the treatment; Personality of nurses affect the pain experience; I’m not angry but I’m hurt; Rheumatic heart disease treatment is a financial burden; Enduring the pain experience; Misconceptions of the treatment; The injection experience affects the person physically and emotionally.The nurses, hospital management and significant others should be aware of the outcomes of the injection treatment. Physiological and psychological outcomes should be carefully assessed during the treatment, to increase patient’s adherence and prevent further damage that can alter patient’s quality of life. Recommended citation: Fabe, B. A. A. & Amparado, M. A. P. (2018, March). Comfort Issues: Injection-related Experiences of Patients with Rheumatic Heart Disease. Paper presented at the 2018 University of Cebu Research Congress, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines, 12(1), 22.