Get involved in Patient Research: ICU Experiences

Patient and family voices about care in the intensive care unit

Summary of the problem:

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a specialised ward for seriously ill patients. Time in the ICU can bring uncertainty, and it can be distressing for patients and their family. For these reasons, the care and support provided is important to get right. We have information about the care patients and family members want during these times. For example, clear communication, good symptom control, and decisions that involve everybody. We don’t always see this care in practice. We want to learn from patients and families about what helps them to access this care, what might stand in the way, and what we can do to improve this.

Sometimes, the term palliative care is used to describe this care. We know that palliative care is a term that is not always understood. Because of this, we also want to ask for thoughts around this term and explore access to palliative care in the intensive care unit.

What I aim to do:

Learn from patients and families about accessing the care and support they need on the intensive care unit.

Methods:

We would like to speak to people who have been:

- Patients in the ICU who were at high risk of dying

- Family members of patients in the ICU who were at high risk of dying

- Family members of patients who died in the ICU 

We will hold group discussions to encourage conversation. There will be an option for one-to-one interviews if preferred.

Published 4th June 2025

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