Provision of Care for Delirious Patients Hospitalized in Intensive Care Units: Nurses’ Experiences

Background: Delirium is the most common neurological diagnosis with a high occurrence among patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs). Nurses should be able to connect with these patients and improve the prevailing mood in ICUs. Qualitative research attempts to discover people’s views and thoughts and understand the depth of issues through their experiences. The present qualitative study aimed to explore ICU nurses’ experiences of care provision for delirious patients. Methods: The present study is a conventional qualitative content analysis of ICU nurses’ (n, 27) experiences of care provision for delirious patients in Guilan Province, Iran in 2016. The study population was selected through purposive sampling, and the data were gathered through semistructured individual interviews, which continued until data saturation. Data analysis was performed in every stage, as recommended by Graneheim and Lundman. The strength and scientific accuracy of the study were evaluated, based on the Lincoln and Guba’s criteria. Results: Data analysis indicated 2 main themes and 6 subthemes. The main themes included “troubled relationships” (subthemes: “poor relationships”, “inadequate support”, and “categorized relationships”) and “exhaustive care provision” (subthemes: “exhaustion from devotion”, “occupational fatigue”, and “fruitless caring”). Conclusions: Based on the results of the present study regarding nurses’ care experiences for delirious patients in ICUs, patients can be relieved from disease-related tension, especially delirium, through strengthening nurse-patient relationships. Moreover, the staff’s healthy relationship with one another, besides managerial support, can improve occupational relationships and provision