title: [The experiences of patients in intensive care units(ICU)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to describe the essence of the experiences of patients in an ICU, and to understand them from the patients' point of view.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants in this study were six patients in P hospital. Data collection consisted of in-depth interviews and an observation method done from January to April in 2005. The method was analysis using the phenomenological method proposed by Colaizzi(1978).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The themes were classified into eight theme clusters. The eight theme clusters were finally grouped into four categories, 'shock', 'pain', 'gratefulness' and 'pleasure of revival'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ICU patients had negative experiences in physical.mental critical situations, but also positive experiences in consolation and nurses and families' encouragement. Therefore, ICU nurses must support patients and their families to minimize the negative experiences and maximize the positive experiences.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Pusan National University, Seo-gu, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Hae
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi Jee
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: So Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Nae Young
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Koung Oh
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010360:Patient Transfer; D036301:Qualitative Research