Patients’ and Relatives’ Experiences of Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit—A Qualitative Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
Aim
2. Methods
2.1. Sample and Recruitment
2.2. Questionnaire Development
2.3. Data Collection
2.4. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Education
“I had no idea that such things could happen to me.”(P2)
“Nobody had told me that various things can happen, so how was I supposed to know?”(P4)
“Nobody had told us before that we should prepare for something like that.”(F1)
“Nobody told me that I might be seeing strange things, etc. I think before such a procedure someone should tell us about things which may have an impact on us after the surgery.”(P6)
“I was mad at my husband, but on the other hand I am a little disappointed with the people who should have warned me against such situations.”(F7)
“Before the procedure nobody told me that this can happen after anesthesia. Maybe if I had known, I would handle it better.”(P1)
“If I had known that something like this could happen to me, maybe I would have been less anxious. Or I would have asked somebody for some sedatives.”(P5)
“It’s a pity that nobody prepared us for this kind of situation, then I wouldn’t be so upset.”(F5)
3.2. Feelings before Delirium
“I remember very well that I caught the nurses’ hand when she was giving me the medicine through this big cannula. Then I remember cursing.”(P3)
“I do not even want to remember it all. I felt like in a movie.”(P6)
“I remember I started yelling and the nurse came to me quickly. I was seeing various weird things. I thought someone was trying to poison me instead of helping me.”(P1)
“Then I remember my anger intensified. Later I remember those horrible faces running around the room.”(P8)
“I don’t remember anything that I did, but I do remember that I was angry at everyone because I couldn’t sleep.”(P2)
“Nobody would give me water, and I know I wanted to get out of the bed. I do not remember what happened after.”(P7)
3.3. Pain and Thirst
“That day everything hurt me so much. I kept receiving something for the pain, but it would not go away.”(P5)
“My husband complained about the pain over the phone. When I came to visit, his pain was a little less intense, but be started to be anxious. What happened later was totally devastating for me.”(F7)
“I remember I was so awfully thirsty that I did not care if I suffocated or vomited. And nobody wanted to give me water, and I know I wanted to get out of the bed.”(P7)
“I was thirsty all the time. I started to be upset because of that. But the woman gave me an ice cube and I calmed down a little. Everything would be good, but when after a few hours I asked for another ice cube, a different nurse yelled at me that I could not have them so often.”(P8)
“All my dad was talking about was drinking water. I even began to wonder whether he is right in the head. When I called in the evening, the doctor said that they had given him sedatives because they could not handle him.”(F8)
3.4. Feelings after Delirium
“I was very embarrassed on the next day. I felt as if everyone was watching me and that everybody remembered what I had done the day before.”(P1)
“On the next day, the doctor told me what had happened and still I cannot believe it. Nurses are giving me lots of support. I even cried in front of one of them out of shame and she consoled me.”(P2)
“On the next day I wanted to disappear.”(P6)
“I apologized to everyone profusely afterwards. Everyone was saying it is all right, but I felt like a criminal.”(P7)
“On the next day I slept till late and I don’t remember much.”(P3)
“If on the next day the Professor had not told me what had happened, I would not know. Oddly enough, I was very sleepy already in the morning, and this made me wonder. Doctors told me that this happens sometimes.”(P4)
“The only thing I remember from the next day is that I woke up around dinner time and I did not feel any pain, but I knew everyone was looking at me funny because of what I had done the day before. A psychologist came to me. I talked to her about it all.”(P5)
“When I called my husband in the morning, they told me he was sleeping. I was surprised because he never slept so much. At 10 he was usually at work or doing some DYI in the garage. I called the doctor right away and he told me that something had happened with my husband. When I visited him, he asked me to buy flowers and give them to the nurses, because he had caused some trouble last light.”(F4)
3.5. Talking to the Family/Patient
“I told my son what had happened. He knew anyway from the doctor because I could not talk over the phone. I asked him not to tell my wife. My son supports me. He knows me and knows it was not on purpose.”(P1)
“I told my wife and she did not believe me. But I know she supports me anyway.”(P4)
“I told my daughter about everything, but she was very upset, so I asked her to be discrete. My daughter gives me lots of supports. The nurses did not make me feel like I did something wrong, although I know that was the case.”(P6)
“I told my son about it. It is good to have someone to talk to.”(P8)
“I never told my family about it, simply because I am ashamed.”(P2)
“Mom did not tell us right away that something wrong had happened. When I went to visit her, she seemed strange, but I thought this was because of the medications. Now mom does not mention the subject, so I do not want to irritate her by recalling it.”(F2)
“The doctor talked to my family afterwards and told them what had happened. My wife could not believe it, and my son was having a laugh. Now I talked about this with the doctor and he told me that such things happen. Fortunately, I did not hurt anyone. I do not know what came into me.”(P3)
“My family knows what happened because the doctor talked to them during their visit.”(P5)
“When my husband told me that he had almost beaten up the nurses, I thought he went mad. My son and me could not believe it. He is such a calm person. I never had such problems with him.”(F3)
“My mom told me that she had been seeing things, screaming, etc. She was very worried about it all, so my sister and me are giving her as much support as we can.”(F6)
“The doctor told me that he had been yelling, spitting, and cursing. I was furious at him.”(F7)
3.6. Return Home
“I am not concerned about my mom’s behavior at home because I think it was all because of the anesthesia and that now everything is back to normal.”(F2)
“I know when he returns home, he will be more at ease. We never again talked about what had happened here.”(F3)
“I know that when I take my father home, he will start forgetting that this ever happened and it will be easier for him.”(F8)
4. Discussion
5. Limitations
6. Conclusions
7. Implications for Practice
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Lange, S.; Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska, W.; Friganović, A.; Religa, D.; Krupa, S. Patients’ and Relatives’ Experiences of Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit—A Qualitative Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 11601. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811601
Lange S, Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska W, Friganović A, Religa D, Krupa S. Patients’ and Relatives’ Experiences of Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit—A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(18):11601. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811601
Chicago/Turabian StyleLange, Sandra, Wioletta Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska, Adriano Friganović, Dorota Religa, and Sabina Krupa. 2022. "Patients’ and Relatives’ Experiences of Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit—A Qualitative Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 18: 11601. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811601