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Patients’ and Relatives’ Experiences of Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit—A Qualitative Study

Author

Listed:
  • Sandra Lange

    (Department of Internal and Pediatric Nursing, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland)

  • Wioletta Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska

    (Department of Anaesthesiology Nursing & Intensive Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland)

  • Adriano Friganović

    (Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
    Department of Nursing, University of Applied Health Sciences, Mlinarska Cesta 38, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia)

  • Dorota Religa

    (Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Sabina Krupa

    (Institute of Health Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszow, Warzywna 1A, 35-310 Rzeszow, Poland)

Abstract

(1) Introduction: Delirium is a cognitive disorder that affects up to 80% of ICU patients and has many negative consequences. The occurrence of delirium in an ICU patient also negatively affects the relatives caring for these patients. The aim of this study was to explore patients’ and their families’ experiences of delirium during their ICU stay. (2) Method: The study used a qualitative design based on phenomenology as a research method. A semi-structured interview method was used to achieve the aim. The responses of patients and their families were recorded and transcribed, and the data were coded and analyzed. (3) Results: Eight interviews were conducted with past ICU patients who developed delirium during hospitalization and their family members. The mean age of the participants was 71 years. Of the eight patients, 2 (25%) were female and 6 (75%) were male. The relationships of the 8 carers with the patients were wife (in 4 cases), daughter (in 2 cases), and son (in 2 cases). The average length of time a patient stayed in the ICU was 24 days. The following themes were extracted from the interviews: education, feelings before the delirium, pain, thirst, the day after, talking to the family/patient, and return home. (4) Conclusions: Post-delirium patients and their families feel that more emphasis should be placed on information about delirium. Most patients feel embarrassed and ashamed about events during a delirium episode. Patients fear the reaction of their families when delirium occurs. Patients’ families are not concerned about their relatives returning home and believe that the home environment will allow them to forget the delirium events more quickly during hospitalization.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandra Lange & Wioletta Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska & Adriano Friganović & Dorota Religa & Sabina Krupa, 2022. "Patients’ and Relatives’ Experiences of Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit—A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-12, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:18:p:11601-:d:915234
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sabina Krupa & Ozga Dorota & Adriano Friganovic & Wioletta Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska & Krzysztof Jurek, 2021. "The Polish Version of the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (NuDESC PL)-Experience of Using in Nursing Practice in Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-11, September.
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