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A descriptive study of basic stimulation in Danish ICUs in 2006
Author(s) -
Egerod Ingrid,
Almer Glennie Marie,
Thomsen Rasmus Risager
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of caring sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.678
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1471-6712
pISSN - 0283-9318
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2008.00664.x
Subject(s) - danish , intensive care , nursing , german , descriptive research , intensive care unit , qualitative research , medicine , nursing care , health care , psychology , intensive care medicine , sociology , economics , economic growth , social science , philosophy , linguistics , archaeology , history
Basic stimulation (BS) is a multimodal approach used in the intensive care unit (ICU) to help patients to perceive, move, communicate and learn. The concept was developed in Germany in the 1970s to help multi‐handicapped children. It was adapted to nursing in the 1980s, and to critical care nursing in the 1990s. Little is known about the use of BS outside of Germany although it has been gaining momentum in German‐speaking countries as well as Scandinavia. The aim of the present study is to describe the extent and application of BS at Danish ICUs in 2006. The study had a prospective, descriptive, qualitative, multicentre design. Data were generated from key‐informant telephone interviews (n = 10). This study has shown that BS is dependent upon the personal interest of individual nurses. At most units the concept is rarely used, or used by only few practitioners, for only few patients, or only few of the elements of the technique are applied. The tenets of BS are similar to those of conventional nursing, and in some cases to health care in general. The concept shows promising potential for critical care nursing. It has, however, been introduced unsystematically at Danish ICUs and needs more management support, systematic implementation and clinical research.