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Patients' and relatives' experiences of transfer from intensive care unit to wards
Author(s) -
Cullinane James P,
Plowright Catherine I
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
nursing in critical care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.689
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1478-5153
pISSN - 1362-1017
DOI - 10.1111/nicc.12047
Subject(s) - intensive care unit , anxiety , medicine , relevance (law) , intensive care , nursing , critical care nursing , critical illness , clinical practice , critically ill , psychology , intensive care medicine , psychiatry , health care , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Aims This literature review looks at the evidence around transferring patients from intensive care units ( ICU ) to wards. The literature informs us that patients and their families experience problems when being transferred from an ICU environment and that this increases overall anxiety. Background The effects of surviving critical illness often have a profound psychological impact on patients and families This study examines the experiences of adult patients, and their families, following their transfer from the ICU to the ward. Findings Five themes emerged from this literature review: physical responses, psychological responses, information and communication, safety and security, and the needs of relatives. Conclusions This review reminds us that these problems can be reduced if information and communication around time of transfers were improved. Relevance to clinical practice As critical care nurses it is essential that we prepare patients and families for transfer to wards.