Family caregivers' experiences of providing psychospiritual care to patients undergoing hemodialysis in Indonesia: A descriptive phenomenological study

Abstract

Background & Aim: Patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis frequently experience emotional, existential, and spiritual distress that requires support beyond routine clinical care. Family caregivers are often the closest and most continuous companions throughout the treatment trajectory, yet limited evidence has examined how they experience and enact psychospiritual care in everyday hemodialysis contexts, particularly in Indonesia. This study aimed to explore family caregivers’ experiences of providing psychospiritual care to patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis.

Methods & Materials: A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted in two hemodialysis units in Indonesia. Fifteen purposively selected family caregivers of patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data collection continued until informational redundancy was achieved. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method.

Results: Three major themes were identified: (1) Enacting emotional presence as a therapeutic foundation in everyday care; (2) Facilitating spiritual meaning-making to foster inner peace and acceptance; and (3) Engaging in shared care navigation through practical support and collaborative decision-making. These findings indicate that family psychospiritual caregiving was experienced as a relational and meaning-centered process in sustaining patients’ endurance during long-term hemodialysis.

Conclusion: Family psychospiritual care in long-term hemodialysis is a sustained relational practice that integrates emotional presence, spiritual meaning-making, and shared care navigation. Hemodialysis services should recognize family caregivers as important partners in supporting patients’ emotional security, spiritual coping, treatment endurance, and gradual acceptance of illness.