The impact of critical care survivorship on family members
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A qualitative study exploring the impact of surviving critical care admission on patients' family members.
IRAS ID
227701
Contact name
Una Gunter
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aneurin Bevan Health Board
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 31 days
Research summary
Admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) with a life threatening illness places considerable emotional stress on patients’ family members. Common problems include the emotional impact of critical care, fear of death and dying, suspension of normal daily routines, stress in relationships, uncertainty and information overload. These can place a considerable burden on relatives and can overstretch their ability to cope. While much research has been conducted into relatives’ experiences of ICU admission, relatively little is known about the longer-term consequences of surviving critical care on family members.
The aims of this qualitative study are therefore to explore:• The impact of surviving ICU admission on patients’ families in the first few months post discharge home from hospital
• Participants’ perceptions of healthcare services during this time.
Six to eight close family members (e.g. spouses or partners) of patients surviving intensive care will be purposively recruited into the study. The family members will be identified when the former patients attend the ICU around six weeks after hospital discharge to collect a 'patient diary' that is routinely completed by healthcare staff and relatives during their ICU stay to help 'fill in the gaps' and provide patients with an insight into what happened in ICU.
Those who consent will then be interviewed several weeks after their relative has been discharged from ICU and the content of the interview will be analysed thematically.
It is anticipated that this initial study will help to improve understanding of the longer term problems faced by close family members of patients discharged from ICU. This will help to identify areas where information provision and support can be targeted and will guide future research in the field.
REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
17/WA/0182
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion