Experiences on Transfer of Critically Ill Patients from Intensive Care Units to General Wards: Focus Group Interview on Nurses' View / 기본간호학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Relocation stress is a common phenomenon in patients discharged from an intensive care unit(ICU) to a ward. Therefore, nurses need to be aware of the problems that can arise during the transfer process. The aim of this study was to identify nurses' experiences in transferring critically ill patients from the ICU to a ward. METHOD: Focus group interviews were done with 13 nurses from wards and ICU, which participated in receiving and sending of ICU patients. The debriefing notes and field notes were analyzed using the consistent comparative data analysis method. RESULT: Seven major categories were identified in the analysis of the data. These were 'mixed feeling about transfer', 'lack of transfer readiness', 'increase in family burden', 'uncertainty with unfamiliar environment', 'difficulty in decision making', 'difference of perception of the relationships between patients and health care providers', 'need for continuity of nursing care'. CONCLUSION: Transferring out of the critical care area should be presented to the patient and family as a positive step in the recovery process. However, a more universal method of passing information from nurse to nurse is needed to assist in a smooth transition.