Caring Minds
Lived Experiences of Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: Fears and Challenges, Coping Strategies, and Hope
Abstract
This study explored the lived experiences of patients undergoing hemodialysis, focusing on their fears, coping strategies, and sources of hope. Using a qualitative-descriptive phenomenological design, in-depth interviews were conducted with selected participants receiving regular hemodialysis and on long-term treatment. The findings revealed three major themes: Fears and Challenges, which captured patients’ anxieties about death, financial strain, and physical exhaustion; Coping Strategies, which involved faith, acceptance, and social support as adaptive mechanisms; and Hope, which emerged as a sustaining force that motivated patients to continue living meaningfully. These experiences reflect a process of adaptation from fear to acceptance, consistent with Roy’s Adaptation Model, Lazarus and Folkman’s Stress and Coping Theory, and Snyder’s Theory of Hope. The study underscores the importance of holistic nursing care that addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of hemodialysis patients.