Use of a personal diary written on the ICU during critical illness.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the use of a diary as an aid in debriefing patients and relatives following critical illness.


METHODS
Observation study.


METHODS
Intensive care unit of a 500-bed hospital.


METHODS
Fifty-one critically ill patients and their relatives.


METHODS
A daily account of the patient's progress was written in everyday language by nursing staff, photographs were added as necessary. The booklet was given to the patient or a relative at a follow-up appointment 2 weeks after discharge from the unit. A standard questionnaire was mailed 6 months later, responses were analyzed by an independent observer.


RESULTS
All diaries had been read by survivors (n = 41) or relatives (n = 10), 51% of the diaries had been read more than 10 times. Comments in the questionnaires were graded as very positive (39%), positive (28%) and neutral (33%).


CONCLUSIONS
A detailed narrative of the patient's stay is a useful tool in the debriefing process following intensive care.
Bäckman
C G
CG
Intensive Care Unit, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Vrinnevisjukhuset, Norrköping, Sweden. sten.walther@lio.se
Walther
S M
SM
D018806:APACHE; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003422:Critical Care / Q000523:psychology*; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires