ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to integrate the results of qualitative studies to understand critical care survivors' experience of the post-intensive care syndrome (PICS).METHODS: This was a meta-synthesis of primary studies that used qualitative methods. We reviewed 26 qualitative studies on PICS selected from 8 international and Korean databases and from a manual search. Thomas and Harden's 3 stages (free coding, development of descriptive themes, generation of analytical themes) for thematic synthesis were utilized to analyze the collected qualitative data.RESULTS: Four descriptive themes emerged from the thematic synthesis: weak physical conditions, psycho-emotional changes, the painful-memory of intensive care units, and social vulnerability. The analytical theme for the current study was “unfamiliarity with the vulnerable self.” Critical care survivors had to confront entirely different “selves” after discharge from intensive care units. They had become physically weak, psychologically unstable, and the critical memories continued to create distress. These changes increased their social vulnerability by making them dependent on others, causing family conflicts, and changing interpersonal relationships.CONCLUSIONS: Finding from this qualitative synthesis and other related literature highlight the severity of PICS and the importance of rehabilitative intervention for critical care survivors.