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The ICU patient room : Views and meanings as experienced by the next of kin: A phenomenological hermeneutical study

Olausson, Sepideh ; Ekebergh, Margaretha and Lindahl, Berit LU (2012) In Intensive and Critical Care Nursing 28(3). p.176-184
Abstract

The rooms in Intensive Care Units are considered as high-tech environments and believed to affect recovery process and wellbeing of patients. Moreover, the design and interiors affect the interplay between the patient and the next of kin. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe and interpret the meanings of the intensive care patient room as experienced by next of kin. Design: Next of kin (. n=. 14) from two different intensive care units participated. Data were collected through photo-voice and analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutical method. Results: Three major themes emerged; dwelling in the room and time, becoming at home and extension of the room. The results show that the room is perceived as a lived and extended... (More)

The rooms in Intensive Care Units are considered as high-tech environments and believed to affect recovery process and wellbeing of patients. Moreover, the design and interiors affect the interplay between the patient and the next of kin. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe and interpret the meanings of the intensive care patient room as experienced by next of kin. Design: Next of kin (. n=. 14) from two different intensive care units participated. Data were collected through photo-voice and analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutical method. Results: Three major themes emerged; dwelling in the room and time, becoming at home and extension of the room. The results show that the room is perceived as a lived and extended place and space. The design, interiors and furnishing in the patient room are fundamental in shaping the next of kin's experiences in the room and affect wellbeing. Conclusions: How intensive care patient rooms are designed, the place given to next of kin and the way they are received in the room are decisive for the support given to the loved one. Simple interventions can make the patient room a more healing environment.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Family, Hospital design, Intensive care units, Patient room, Qualitative studies
in
Intensive and Critical Care Nursing
volume
28
issue
3
pages
176 - 184
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84860889197
  • pmid:22397997
ISSN
0964-3397
DOI
10.1016/j.iccn.2011.12.003
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
f32abddd-b205-4955-b2c3-06d0098ddb35
date added to LUP
2020-04-14 15:49:47
date last changed
2024-01-02 08:50:30
@article{f32abddd-b205-4955-b2c3-06d0098ddb35,
  abstract     = {{<p>The rooms in Intensive Care Units are considered as high-tech environments and believed to affect recovery process and wellbeing of patients. Moreover, the design and interiors affect the interplay between the patient and the next of kin. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe and interpret the meanings of the intensive care patient room as experienced by next of kin. Design: Next of kin (. n=. 14) from two different intensive care units participated. Data were collected through photo-voice and analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutical method. Results: Three major themes emerged; dwelling in the room and time, becoming at home and extension of the room. The results show that the room is perceived as a lived and extended place and space. The design, interiors and furnishing in the patient room are fundamental in shaping the next of kin's experiences in the room and affect wellbeing. Conclusions: How intensive care patient rooms are designed, the place given to next of kin and the way they are received in the room are decisive for the support given to the loved one. Simple interventions can make the patient room a more healing environment.</p>}},
  author       = {{Olausson, Sepideh and Ekebergh, Margaretha and Lindahl, Berit}},
  issn         = {{0964-3397}},
  keywords     = {{Family; Hospital design; Intensive care units; Patient room; Qualitative studies}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{176--184}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Intensive and Critical Care Nursing}},
  title        = {{The ICU patient room : Views and meanings as experienced by the next of kin: A phenomenological hermeneutical study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2011.12.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.iccn.2011.12.003}},
  volume       = {{28}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}