[Anxiety during the chronic critical illness in the intensive care unit - an interpretive phenomenological study]

Anxiety during the chronic critical illness in the intensive care unit - an interpretive phenomenological study Abstract.

Patients with a chronic critical illness (CCI) are persons who are dependent on life-sustaining therapies in the intensive care unit (ICU) for an extended period of time following a life-threatening, acute illness. In the ICU they are exposed to numerous physical and psychological stressors. Anxiety, one of the distressing symptoms, has received little attention.

This study aims to examine anxiety in adult patients who have developed CCI while treated in an ICU to further understand this phenomenon.

An interpretive phenomenological approach was taken. Using an iterative process, data from guided interviews with seven participants were analysed.

The anxiety experienced by the patients with CCI fluctuated with the level of consciousness: anxiety in another reality, anxiety caused by nightmares, anxiety at first awakening and anxiety during wakeful periods. Anxiety was often accompanied by feelings of powerlessness, being lost, insecurity, helplessness and uncertainty.

The results of the study suggest that health care professionals caring for patients, especially nurses, may influence anxiety experienced by patients with CCI. Nurses who are able to recognize anxiety in patients with CCI have a better chance of caring for them in a sensitive manner.