Transitions of Care After Critical Illness-Challenges to Recovery and Adaptive Problem Solving

Abstract

Objectives: Investigate the challenges experienced by survivors of critical illness and their caregivers across the transitions of care from intensive care to community, and the potential problem-solving strategies used to navigate these challenges.

Design: Qualitative design-data generation via interviews and data analysis via the framework analysis method.

Setting: Patients and caregivers from three continents, identified through the Society of Critical Care Medicine's THRIVE international collaborative sites (follow-up clinics and peer support groups).

Subjects: Patients and caregivers following critical illness.

Interventions: Nil.

Measurements and main results: From 86 interviews (66 patients, 20 caregivers), we identified the following major themes: 1) Challenges for patients-interacting with the health system and gaps in care; managing others' expectations of illness and recovery. 2) Challenges for caregivers-health system shortfalls and inadequate communication; lack of support for caregivers. 3) Patient and caregiver-driven problem solving across the transitions of care-personal attributes, resources, and initiative; receiving support and helping others; and acceptance.

Conclusions: Survivors and caregivers experienced a range of challenges across the transitions of care. There were distinct and contrasting themes related to the caregiver experience. Survivors and caregivers used comparable problem-solving strategies to navigate the challenges encountered across the transitions of care.