A phenomenological study on the experiences of patient transfer from the intensive care unit to general wards

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to derive an in-depth understanding of the transfer experience of intensive care unit (ICU) patients in South Korea through a phenomenological analysis. METHODS: Participants were 15 adult patients who were admitted to a medical or surgical ICU at a university hospital for more than 48 hours before being transferred to a general ward. Data were collected three to five days after their transfer to the general ward from January to December 2017 through individual in-depth interviews and were analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological data analysis method, phenomenological reduction, intersubjective reduction, and hermeneutic circle. Data analysis yielded eight themes and four theme clusters related to the unique experiences of domestic ICU patients in the process of transfer to the general ward. RESULTS: The four main themes of the patients’ transfer experiences were “hope amid despair,” “gratitude for being alive,” “recovery from suffering,” and “seeking a return to normality.” CONCLUSION: Our findings expand the realistic and holistic understanding from the patient’s perspective. This study’s findings can contribute to the development of appropriate nursing interventions that can support preparation and adaptation to the transfer of ICU patients.