Abstract
Background Elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction find it difficult to restore their heart function to a normal level, and they often live with the disease for a long time, greatly impacting their quality of life and health conditions .Methods From September 2022 to June 2023, a phenomenological research method will be employed. Semi-structured in-depth interviews will be conducted with 4 doctors, 4 nurses, 9 patients, and 4 family members from a tertiary hospital in Shanghai. The interview data will be transcribed, coded, analyzed, and themes will be extracted.Results The factors influencing role transition in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction during their discharge preparation can be summarized into four main themes.On the patient side, these include negative issues associated with aging, negative emotions, lack of role behaviors, and reinforcement of role behaviors. On the family side, the factors include a lack of economic support, caregiver knowledge deficiency, difficulties in adapting to the caregiver role, and busy work schedules of family members. Environmental factors encompass difficulties in adapting to the hospital environment, changes in comfort level, and inadequate discharge services provided by the hospital. Lastly, social factors include the availability of well-equipped community hospitals, supportive friendships and neighborly relationships, a lack of coordination between hospitals and the community, and inconvenience in seeking medical treatment in a different location.Conclusion The role transition experienced by elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction during their discharge preparation is influenced by various factors. It is important to increase awareness of this issue at various levels of society and provide support to help patients adjust their emotions and adapt to the transition from a healthy role to a role affected by illness. Encouraging patients to actively cope with the disease and adapt to all aspects of change, as well as involving them in disease management, is crucial. Improving the caregiving abilities of healthcare professionals, strengthening the continuity of long-term follow-up, developing service systems, and implementing personalized intervention measures that are suitable for the clinical scenarios in China are essential steps.