Perspectives of Intensive Care patients and family members on competencies for Advanced Intensive Care nurses in Europe

Authors

  • Christina Jones ICUsteps
  • Mo Peskett ICUsteps
  • Pam Ramsay University of Dundee
  • Ruth Endacott School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom.
  • Andreas Xyrichis King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
  • Katerina Iliopoulou King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/ijcc49

Keywords:

competencies, focus groups, Intensive care, nurses, patients, relatives

Abstract

Background

One output from the International Nursing Advanced Competency-based Training for Intensive Care (INACTIC) collaboration is a set of core competencies for advanced practice Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses across Europe. Some European countries, such as the UK, have identified such competencies, however, these advanced practice roles are rarely practiced across the rest of Europe. The INACTIC competencies were developed with an expert panel of 184 ICU nurses from 20 countries. It is also important to examine what patients and relatives with experience of intensive care felt about these competencies.  

Aim

To examine the views of recovered ICU patients and relatives regarding the INACTIC competencies.

Methods

Three patient and relative focus groups were conducted in England (n=5), Scotland (n=4) and Greece (n=4) to discuss a lay version of the INACTIC competencies. Discussions were open ended, followed a topic guide, recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis followed a conventional thematic approach, with the findings discussed iteratively among the authors.

Results

The feedback from across the focus groups resulted in three themes: 1) the importance of nurses being empowered to advocate for the patient; 2) the centrality of communication; and, 3) the impact of variability in ICU practices. There was a notable difference with the Greek focus group; because of restricted family visiting policies, relatives did not feel encouraged to participate in patient care.

Conclusions

The perspectives of patients and relatives largely aligned with the consensus of the INACTIC expert panel. Local differences in ICU experience highlight the changes that some ICUs would need to make for the INACTIC competencies to be embedded.

Author Biographies

Christina Jones, ICUsteps

Research Manager for ICUsteps Peer Support Charity, London, United Kingdom.

Mo Peskett, ICUsteps

RGN, Dip Crit Care. Chair, ICUsteps Peer Support Charity, UK

Pam Ramsay, University of Dundee

PhD Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Dundee

Ruth Endacott, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom.

Professor of Nursing at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom

Andreas Xyrichis, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

Senior Lecturer,  King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

Katerina Iliopoulou, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

Post-doctorate fellow at King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

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Published

2023-07-27

How to Cite

Jones, C., Peskett, M., Ramsay, P., Endacott, R., Xyrichis, A., & Iliopoulou, K. (2023). Perspectives of Intensive Care patients and family members on competencies for Advanced Intensive Care nurses in Europe. International Journal of Critical Care, 17(2), 23–38. https://doi.org/10.29173/ijcc49

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