title: The ICU patient diary-A nursing intervention that is complicated in its simplicity: A qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Writing a diary for intensive care patients has been shown to facilitate patientrecovery and prevent post-traumatic stress following hospitalisation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to describe the experiences of critical care nurses' (CCNs') in writing personal diaries for ICU patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted with a qualitative design. Ten CCNs from two hospitals participated. Data were collected with semi-structured interviews and analysed using a qualitative thematic content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The result consists of a theme: Patient diary: a complex nursing intervention in all its simplicity, as well as four categories: Writing informatively and with awareness shows respect and consideration; The diary is important for both patient and CCN; To jointly create an organisation that facilitates and develops the writing; Relatives' involvement in the diary is a matter of course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCNs are aware of the diary's importance for the patient and relatives, but experience difficulties in deciding which patients should get this intervention and how to prioritize it. Writing a personal diary for an ICU patient is a nursing intervention that is complicated in its simplicity.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Gällivare Hospital, Gällivare, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna-Karin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ednell
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Kiruna Hospital, Kiruna, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siljegren
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing, Department of Health Science, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden. Electronic address: asa.engstrom@ltu.se.
authors.forename: Åsa
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Engström
mesh_terms: D064648:Critical Care Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D008499:Medical Records; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014956:Writing
keywords: Critical care nurse; Experiences; Intensive care; Intensive care diary; Nursing; Qualitative thematic content analysis; Writing diary