Life After ICU: The patient experience with ICU and after hospital discharge
Date
2023-04-13
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Abstract
ICU can be a life-altering experience for patients and their families. ICU survivors may face a multitude of complications after their hospital stay that have been collectively termed Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS). In the current global environment of the COVID-19 pandemic, ICUs across the world have seen a drastic increase in ICU patients. It has been recognized within the ICU community that a better understanding of the post-ICU population is needed as there is a lack of understanding about what the ICU survivor experiences after hospital discharge and what resources may support them to manage best or avoid PICS. To examine the experience of former ICU patients, the qualitative method of Interpretive Description was utilized. Patients who participated in the ICU recovery clinic in Alberta, Canada, were invited to participate in a 45-minute interview about their experience with ICU and their life after hospital discharge. Three former ICU patients were interviewed virtually to share their experiences. The results of this study found themes in data analysis that include communication challenges, living with uncertainty, and post-ICU fallout. These themes do not occur in isolation but are interconnected and can impact the other themes, which ultimately can impact ICU survivors’ recovery. Participants expressed frustration with various communication challenges they experienced both during and after ICU, and the impact of visitation restrictions on their experience. Participants also expressed emotion about the uncertainty they face after an ICU admission, including uncertainty about what happened in ICU and uncertainty with their present and future. Finally, participants discussed their experience of living with the fallout of an ICU admission and the benefit of attending the ICU recovery clinic. The results of this study highlight the need for broader awareness and education for health professionals on the potential complications faced by ICU survivors after discharge. This study also shows support for specialized follow-up services, like the ICU recovery clinic. Specialized follow-up allowed each of the participants to be viewed holistically, beyond their medical diagnosis or physical impairment, and for the first time each had their experience normalized.
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Keywords
Intensive care, Post ICU Syndrome, ICU survivor, ICU follow-up
Citation
McIntyre, C. A. (2023). Life after ICU: the patient experience with ICU and after hospital discharge (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.