OBJECTIVE: To examine perceptions of ICU transfer held by patients and their family members, focusing specifically on those aspects of transfer perceived as difficult and those perceived as helpful. DESIGN: Descriptive qualitative case study design. SETTING: General ICU of a large regional Australian teaching hospital. PATIENTS: A total of 7 patients and 6 family members were purposefully recruited at one-month post-discharge from hospital. Participants were selected for their ability to recall ICU transfer, the involvement of family members and their ability to articulate their experiences. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two focus groups (one for patients and one for families) were conducted in the hospital setting, aimed at capturing the individual and collective perceptions of transfer out of intensive care. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the data that reflected the complex and emotional nature of transfer out of intensive care. These themes included (1) a sense of sudden abandonment (2) pervasive feelings of vulnerability and helplessness, (3) a loss of importance and (4) ambivalence about the experience. CONCLUSIONS: The need for ICU nurses, ward nurses and affiliated healthcare professionals to provide emotional support throughout ICU transfer is the most significant implication of the study. Strategies to provide this support must be developed, implemented and evaluated.
OBJECTIVE: To examine perceptions of ICU transfer held by patients and their family members, focusing specifically on those aspects of transfer perceived as difficult and those perceived as helpful. DESIGN: Descriptive qualitative case study design. SETTING: General ICU of a large regional Australian teaching hospital. PATIENTS: A total of 7 patients and 6 family members were purposefully recruited at one-month post-discharge from hospital. Participants were selected for their ability to recall ICU transfer, the involvement of family members and their ability to articulate their experiences. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two focus groups (one for patients and one for families) were conducted in the hospital setting, aimed at capturing the individual and collective perceptions of transfer out of intensive care. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the data that reflected the complex and emotional nature of transfer out of intensive care. These themes included (1) a sense of sudden abandonment (2) pervasive feelings of vulnerability and helplessness, (3) a loss of importance and (4) ambivalence about the experience. CONCLUSIONS: The need for ICU nurses, ward nurses and affiliated healthcare professionals to provide emotional support throughout ICU transfer is the most significant implication of the study. Strategies to provide this support must be developed, implemented and evaluated.
Authors: Denise L Buchner; Sean M Bagshaw; Peter Dodek; Alan J Forster; Robert A Fowler; François Lamontagne; Alexis F Turgeon; Melissa Potestio; Henry T Stelfox Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2015-07-08 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Kara M Plotnikoff; Karla D Krewulak; Laura Hernández; Krista Spence; Nadine Foster; Shelly Longmore; Sharon E Straus; Daniel J Niven; Jeanna Parsons Leigh; Henry T Stelfox; Kirsten M Fiest Journal: Crit Care Date: 2021-12-17 Impact factor: 9.097
Authors: Lucy Goulding; Hannah Parke; Ritesh Maharaj; Robert Loveridge; Anne McLoone; Sophie Hadfield; Eloise Helme; Philip Hopkins; Jane Sandall Journal: BMJ Qual Improv Rep Date: 2015-04-30