Evaluating the past to improve the future - A qualitative study of ICU patients' experiences.

BACKGROUND: The recovery period for patients who have been in an intensive care unitis often prolonged and suboptimal. Anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder are common psychological problems. Intensive care staff offer various types of intensive aftercare. Intensive care follow-up aftercare services are not standard clinical practice in Norway.

OBJECTIVE: The overall aim of this study is to investigate how adult patients experience theirintensive care stay their recovery period, and the usefulness of an information pamphlet.

METHOD: A qualitative, exploratory research with semi-structured interviews of 29 survivors after discharge from intensive care and three months after discharge from the hospital.

RESULTS: Two main themes emerged: "Being on an unreal, strange journey" and "Balancing between who I was and who I am" Patients' recollection of their intensive care stay differed greatly. Continuity of care and the nurse's ability to see and value individual differences was highlighted. The information pamphlet helped intensive care survivors understand that what they went through was normal.

CONCLUSIONS: Continuity of care and an individual approach is crucial to meet patients' uniqueness and different coping mechanisms. Intensive care survivors and their families must be included when information material and rehabilitation programs are designed and evaluated.