Att vara i en intensivvårdsmiljö - patientens perspektiv
Hälsa och vårdvetenskapHealth and health scienceIntensive care unitThe patientExperiencesStudy of literature
The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a special unit for patients who is in the need
for emergency life-sustaining measures and every patient has complex medical-
technical equipment. The experiences of a critical illness and the needs of
critical care are experienced in different ways. The purpose of this study was
to describe the experiences from patients in the ICU and how this experience
has an influence on the patients. The method was a study of literature with a
qualitative inception based on eight scientific articles and the analysis of
content has been inspired by Graneheim and Lundman (2003). The result of the
study is presented by four categories: to loose the ability to make themselves
understood, to be forced to adjust to the environment of caring, to have the
lack of connection with reality and to be in an intensive care environment, The
results showed that patients in the ICU are affected by the attitude from the
staff, the equipment around them as well as the sounds and lights in the
environment there. The patient experience for example uneasiness, anxiety,
difficulties in communication and sleep during their stay at the ICU.