Unveiling the conceptual and intellectual map of care bundle research in ICUs: Trends, key issues, and collaborative networks.

Background: Care bundles are evidence-based practices intended to improve patient outcomes and have become a significant focus in intensive care.

Aim: This study aims to identify research trends, key topics, leading researchers, and significant collaborations in care bundle research within ıntensive care units by mapping the conceptual and intellectual structure of the field.

Study design: Data were collected from the Web of Science database, covering publications from 2010 to 2024. The search terms included 'bundle*' or 'bundle* care' and 'intensive care unit' or 'critical care'. The analysis used tools like the Biblometrix package in R and VOSviewer, focusing on performance metrics, co-citation analysis, co-occurrence network analysis, and thematic mapping.

Results: The annual growth rate of publications on care bundles is 6.26%. The most prolific journals include Critical Care Medicine, the American Journal of Infection Control, and Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Thematic mapping shows research is concentrated on critical areas such as infection control, patient safety, and quality improvement. While some themes, like 'intensive care units' and 'central line-associated bloodstream infection', are well-developed and central, others like 'maternal safety consensus' and 'safety consensus bundle' are highly developed but less central. Emerging themes like 'acute kidney injury' suggest potential areas for future research.

Conclusions: This bibliometric analysis offers a comprehensive overview of intensive care unit care bundle research, highlighting a strong focus on critical issues like infection control, patient safety, and care quality improvement.

Relevance to clinical practice: The study provides crucial insights for clinical practice by identifying key research trends and underexplored topics related to intensive care unit care bundles. These findings can guide the development of more effective care protocols, promote multidisciplinary collaboration, and enhance healthcare professional education, ultimately contributing to optimized patient care and high standards in the intensive care unit through improved care bundle implementation.