Delirium in Prolonged Hospitalized Patients in the Intensive Care Unit.
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.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the effect of prolonged hospitalization of patients and subsequent delirium in the intensive care unit.


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.
Trauma Research Center, Nursing Faculty, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Amir
A
Vahedian Azimi
Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Nursing Faculty, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Abbas
A
Ebadi
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IR Iran.
Fazlollah
F
Ahmadi
Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Soheil
S
Saadat
Delirium; Intensive Care Units; Iran