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The experiences of patients and their families of visiting whilst in an intensive care unit - A hermeneutic interview study

Eriksson, Thomas ; Bergbom, Ingegerd and Lindahl, Berit LU (2011) In Intensive and Critical Care Nursing 27(2). p.60-66
Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to interpret and understand the meanings of the lived experiences of visiting of patients in an ICU and their families. Method: The research design was hermeneutic, based on interviews. This study includes 12 interviews with seven patients and five relatives who had been in an ICU. The interview text was interpreted in a Gadamerian manner as different plays with actors and plots. Findings: Patients' narratives could be divided into two parts; recall of real life and unreal life experiences, the unreal being more common. Relatives' narratives are described as being on stage and being backstage, i.e. in the room with the patient and outside it. Conclusion: The final interpretation elucidated the experience... (More)

Aim: The aim of this study was to interpret and understand the meanings of the lived experiences of visiting of patients in an ICU and their families. Method: The research design was hermeneutic, based on interviews. This study includes 12 interviews with seven patients and five relatives who had been in an ICU. The interview text was interpreted in a Gadamerian manner as different plays with actors and plots. Findings: Patients' narratives could be divided into two parts; recall of real life and unreal life experiences, the unreal being more common. Relatives' narratives are described as being on stage and being backstage, i.e. in the room with the patient and outside it. Conclusion: The final interpretation elucidated the experience of visiting as the sudden shift between being present in real life vs. being present in the real life of unreality. It was a process whereby the patient and the family build a new understanding of life that creates a new form of interplay within the family. The pre-critical illness life is no longer there - a new life has begun. To support patients and their families in this process of change a family-centred care perspective is necessary.

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author
; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Experiences, Family, Hermeneutics, ICU patient, Visiting
in
Intensive and Critical Care Nursing
volume
27
issue
2
pages
60 - 66
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:79954602553
  • pmid:21288722
ISSN
0964-3397
DOI
10.1016/j.iccn.2011.01.001
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
3991bb16-e8c5-4b4c-8d0e-0a757a5fcd46
date added to LUP
2020-04-14 16:37:50
date last changed
2024-04-03 04:32:49
@article{3991bb16-e8c5-4b4c-8d0e-0a757a5fcd46,
  abstract     = {{<p>Aim: The aim of this study was to interpret and understand the meanings of the lived experiences of visiting of patients in an ICU and their families. Method: The research design was hermeneutic, based on interviews. This study includes 12 interviews with seven patients and five relatives who had been in an ICU. The interview text was interpreted in a Gadamerian manner as different plays with actors and plots. Findings: Patients' narratives could be divided into two parts; recall of real life and unreal life experiences, the unreal being more common. Relatives' narratives are described as being on stage and being backstage, i.e. in the room with the patient and outside it. Conclusion: The final interpretation elucidated the experience of visiting as the sudden shift between being present in real life vs. being present in the real life of unreality. It was a process whereby the patient and the family build a new understanding of life that creates a new form of interplay within the family. The pre-critical illness life is no longer there - a new life has begun. To support patients and their families in this process of change a family-centred care perspective is necessary.</p>}},
  author       = {{Eriksson, Thomas and Bergbom, Ingegerd and Lindahl, Berit}},
  issn         = {{0964-3397}},
  keywords     = {{Experiences; Family; Hermeneutics; ICU patient; Visiting}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{60--66}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Intensive and Critical Care Nursing}},
  title        = {{The experiences of patients and their families of visiting whilst in an intensive care unit - A hermeneutic interview study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2011.01.001}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.iccn.2011.01.001}},
  volume       = {{27}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}