title: Patients' transition in the intensive care units: concept analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adequate preparation of critically ill patients throughout their transition experience within and following discharge from the Intensive Care Unit is an important element of the nursing care process during critical illness. However, little is known about nurses' perspectives of, and engagement in, caring for critically ill patients during their transition experiences.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to review the literature about the concept of transition within the context of critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit, focusing on Intensive Care Unit nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  CINAHL, MEDLINE, OVID, Science Direct, SAGE eReference and SAGE Journal Online data bases were searched for relevant literature published since 1970.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The critically ill patients' transitions in Intensive Care Units are generally described as a period of transfer or change of situation, or the experience of inner change or role during and after the illness. The critically ill patients' transition experience per se is not directly described, nor is nurses' understanding of it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses' understanding of critically ill patients' transition may significantly impact the patients' care in the Intensive Care Unit. Thus, research is needed that focuses more on evaluating nurses' understanding of patients' transition and its consequences.
authors.affiliation: Kulliyyah of Nursing, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Hospital Campus, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. msalizar@iium.edu.my
authors.forename: Salizar Mohamed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ludin
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arbon
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003422:Critical Care; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009732:Nursing Care