Experience of being hospitalized in a coronary intensive care unit of Barranquilla

The experience of being hospitalized in an intensive care unit generates anxiety, distress, and stress in a person. Patients with coronary artery disease require special care in these units. Therefore, situations, perceptions, feelings and experiences of the patient during their stay in the unit constitute significant elements of their experience. Objective: This study aimed to know the meaning of those experiences in a Coronary Intensive Care Unit of a clinic in Barranquilla. Methodology: A qualitative, descriptive study, with a phenomenological approach, in which nine patients between 59 and 74 years who were hospitalized in a coronary intensive care unit with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction were interviewed. As a research strategy, Colaizzi method was used, following each of the suggested steps, and preserving the relevant ethical rigor. Results:Four categories which reveal thoroughly the studied phenomenon were identified: 1) The first contact with the unit; 2) The downside of being hospitalized in the unit; 3) Trust in God; and 4) Loss of time perception. Conclusions: The experiences expressed by participants corroborate what was found in similar studies, which converge in stating that admission to the intensive care unit generates a series of negative feelings in the person, which mark a significant life experience, but also influence positive aspects derived from humanized care nursing staff