Cardiac rehabilitation is often under-utilized despite its well-known benefits. Individuals with cardiac disease who exhibit a positive outlook often experience improved health outcomes. This study tried to explore the question: "What are the lived experiences of cardiac recovery in cardiac rehabilitation individuals with a predominantly positive outlook in the context of an acute cardiac event?"

Our primary aim explored the experiences of cardiac recovery in cardiac rehabilitation participants with a predominantly positive outlook, within the context of an acute cardiac event, including exploring barriers and facilitators of cardiac recovery. Our secondary aim explored how a positive outlook impacted completion of phase two of the cardiac rehabilitation program.

Husserlian phenomenology guided this study. A purposive sample of 10 individuals who had experienced an acute cardiac event and had a predominantly positive outlook were interviewed. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method.

Three themes emerged from the data. The first was "choosing life over death," where participants discussed how they made a decision to improve their health. The second theme was "learning to live a new self," where participants described the changes they had to make in order to improve their health. The third theme was "a life-transforming cardiac event" where participants shared how the cardiac event had changed their life.

The participants’ decisions to choose to live, led them to embrace their cardiac recovery. It is important for nurses to identify individuals in cardiac rehabilitation that need additional support. In addition, alternative models of cardiac rehabilitation programs need to be explored.