PERCEIVED UNCERTAINTY IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE IN THE EXPECTATION OF HEART TRANSPLANTATION IN A HIGH-COMPLEXITY CLINIC IN COLOMBIA

The phenomenon of uncertainty in the face of the disease acquires special relevance in patients with heart failure who are waiting for a heart transplant, constituting a critical dimension for the comprehensive approach to their care. This study aimed to describe the level of uncertainty perceived by patients diagnosed with heart failure classified as having advanced functional stages, within a highly complex clinic in the city of Cali, Colombia. A quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional approach was adopted, guided by the theory of uncertainty in the face of disease proposed by Merle Mishel. The sample consisted of 45 patients selected for convenience, who answered the Uncertainty Scale against the Disease validated for the Colombian context. The results showed that 100% of the participants presented a high level of uncertainty regarding heart transplantation, particularly in the dimensions related to stimulus frames, cognitive abilities and perceived sources of structure. This high uncertainty is associated with clinical factors such as the presence of ischemic and valvular heart disease, as well as the advanced stage of its functional condition (NYHA IV, stage D). The findings underscore the urgent need to design intervention strategies from nursing that allow identifying, evaluating, and mitigating the levels of uncertainty in this population, favoring more adaptive coping processes and improving quality of life while waiting for the transplant procedure.