The following is a summary of “Qualitative Insights Into Patients’ and Family Members’ Experiences of In-Hospital Medication Management After a Critical Care Episode,” published in the June 2024 issue of Critical Care by Bourne et al.

Critical illness recovery is a long journey; moving patients from ICUs to hospital wards and eventually back home and ensuring medication safety during this transition period requires better communication between healthcare professionals (HCPs), patients, and families.

Researchers undertook a unique retrospective study to explore and understand the most effective communication strategies HCPs can utilize when engaging with patients in critical care and families regarding medication management during patient transfer from the ICU.

They employed a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with patients and family members. The interviews occurred after the patients transitioned from the ICU to a regular hospital ward within a large National Health Service hospital trust. The interview was anonymized and transcribed to ensure confidentiality before conducting a thematic analysis. Specifically, the study utilized a coding framework to capture themes related to patient and family engagement in medication management.

The result showed 27 participants (15 patients and 12 family members). Thematic analysis of anonymized transcripts revealed 5 key themes and 15 sub-themes that captured patients’ and families’ perspectives on medication management throughout critical illness and recovery. The themes included the impact of the acute disease and treatment burden on existing medical conditions, prior knowledge and capabilities regarding medication management, beliefs about individual roles and expectations within the healthcare team, the importance of care continuity and personalized information exchange, and the level of patient and family engagement in medication practices.

Investigators concluded that patients with critical illness and family members seek personalized engagement from HCPs regarding medication administration, emphasizing varied and timely communication methods.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949788424000261