Abstract

Background: Prolonged hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU) can impose long-term psychological effects on patients. One of the most significant psychological effects from prolonged hospitalization is delirium. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of prolonged hospitalization of patients and subsequent delirium in the intensive care unit. Patients and Methods: This conventional content analysis study was conducted in the General Intensive Care Unit of the Shariati Hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, from the beginning of 2013 to 2014. All prolonged hospitalized patients and their families were eligible participants. From the 34 eligible patients and 63 family members, the final numbers of actual patients and family members were 9 and 16, respectively. Several semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face with patients and their families in a private room and data were gathered. Results: Two main themes from two different perspectives emerged, 'patients' perspectives' (experiences during ICU hospitalization) and 'family members' perspectives' (supportive-communicational experiences). The main results of this study focused on delirium, Patients' findings were described as pleasant and unpleasant, factual and delusional experiences. Conclusions: Family members are valuable components in the therapeutic process of delirium. Effective use of family members in the delirium caring process can be considered to be one of the key non-medical nursing components in the therapeutic process.