Patients’ experiences of intensive care diaries—A focus group study

The aim of the study was to explore patients’ experiences and perceptions of receiving intensive care diaries. A focus group and intensive care diaries for four former ICU patients were analysed to understand what works and what needs further development for patients who receive a diary. The study h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Intensive & critical care nursing 2010-10, Vol.26 (5), p.278-287
Main Authors: Egerod, Ingrid, Bagger, Christine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Critical Care - psychology
Critical Illness - psychology
Denmark
Diaries
Female
Focus Groups
Friends
Group dynamics
Hospitals
Humans
Intensive care
Intensive care nursing
Intensive care units
Male
Medical Records
Memories
Middle Aged
Narratives
Nursing
Patient diaries
Patients
Patients - psychology
Perceptions
Post traumatic stress disorder
Qualitative studies
Usefulness
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Summary:The aim of the study was to explore patients’ experiences and perceptions of receiving intensive care diaries. A focus group and intensive care diaries for four former ICU patients were analysed to understand what works and what needs further development for patients who receive a diary. The study had a triangulated approach and group dynamics were described as the focus group was used to explore agreement and disagreement among the participants. Little is known about the content of intensive care diaries and their usefulness and meaning for the patients. The participants in our study agreed that the diary alone provided incomplete information and reading the diary did not necessarily bring back memories, but helped complete their story. The patients needed to know what they had gone through in ICU and wished to share their story with their family. We conclude that diaries might help post-ICU patients to gradually construct or reconstruct their own illness narrative, which is pieced together by their fragmented memory, the diary, the pictures, the hospital chart and the accounts from family and friends.
ISSN:0964-3397
1532-4036
DOI:10.1016/j.iccn.2010.07.002