Transitions of Care After Critical Illness-Challenges to Recovery and Adaptive Problem Solving

Area of Science:

• Critical care medicine
• Patient and caregiver support
• Health services research

Background:

• Critical illness survivors and their caregivers encounter multifaceted challenges during the transition from intensive care to community settings.
• Understanding these challenges is crucial for improving patient outcomes and caregiver well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the challenges faced by critical illness survivors and their caregivers during care transitions.
• To identify potential problem-solving strategies employed by patients and caregivers to navigate these challenges.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research design utilizing framework analysis.
• Data collected through 86 interviews with patients and caregivers across three continents.

Main Results:

• Patients reported challenges with health system navigation, care gaps, and managing expectations of recovery.
• Caregivers faced health system shortfalls, communication issues, and a lack of adequate support.
• Both patient and caregiver-driven problem-solving involved personal attributes, resourcefulness, seeking/providing support, and acceptance.

Conclusions:

• Survivors and caregivers experience a spectrum of challenges during care transitions, with distinct themes for caregivers.
• Comparable problem-solving strategies are employed by both survivors and caregivers to navigate these transitions effectively.