Experiences of Admission for Critically Ill Patients in ICU

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the meanings and nature of ICU admission experienced among patients with critical illness. The present study adopted a hermeneutic phenomenological method which was developed by van Manen. Methods: The participants for this study were 6 men and 3 women, who were over the age of 20 with ICU admission period more than 3 days. Data were collected by using in-depth interviews and observations from March, 2007 to September, 2007. The contents of the interviews were tape-recorded with the consent of the subject. Results: The essential themes that fit into the context of the 4 existential grounds of body, time, space and other people were as follows: a body that cannot react the way it wants, a wave of fear and insecurity everywhere, a struggle to survive, coming out from death's door, loss of time path, a long and continued waiting until escaping, more of machinery room than a patient's room, existence of life and death, an abyss of suffering seen thru another patient, taken care of by a doctor, trust and distrust, family, the ultimate safe zone. Conclusion: Critically ill patients in ICU experienced feelings of discomfort, unsafety, and insecurity. The result of this study can give nurses some insight into these experiences and help promote empathetic care.