Defining patient-centered recovery after critical illness - A qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Critical care medicine
• Patient recovery
• Qualitative research

Background:

• Prolonged critical illness presents significant challenges for survivors.
• Understanding survivor perspectives is crucial for optimizing post-Intensive Care Unit (ICU) care.
• Existing research often focuses on clinical outcomes rather than lived experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the perspectives of adult survivors of prolonged critical illness.
• To identify key aspects of care and recovery from the survivor's viewpoint.
• To inform improvements in post-ICU care and rehabilitation strategies.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, qualitative study design was employed.
• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 adult critical illness survivors six months post-ICU discharge.
• Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data.

Main Results:

• Two primary theme categories emerged: recovery status and care experience.
• Three distinct recovery states were identified, based on physical and neuropsychological recovery.
• Care experiences, including communication and support, varied significantly across recovery states.

Conclusions:

• Survivor recovery is framed by their status and care experiences, encompassing physical, psychological, cognitive, and social domains.
• The content of care experiences differs based on recovery status.
• Modifying care experiences or patient perceptions holds potential for improving recovery outcomes.