A qualitative study of long-term ICU patients' inner strength and willpower: Family and health professionals as a health-promoting resource

Aims and objectives To explore how the presence of family and health professionals influences long-term critically ill patients' inner strength and willpower as an incitement to keep fighting for recovery. Background This study reports long-term critically ill patients' experiences of family and health professionals as health-promoting resources in terms of significance for their inner strength and willpower. Earlier research on this topic is scarce. Design A qualitative, hermeneutic-phenomenological approach, within the context of Antonovsky's salutogenic theory. Methods Seventeen long-term critically ill patients were interviewed once, at 6-18 months after ICU discharge. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) were used (Supplementary File 1). Results Four main themes identified how family and staff promoted and challenged the patient's inner strength and willpower: (a) the importance of family and friends; my family was surrounding me, (b) staff contributions, (c) challenges to inner strength and willpower in relation to family and (d) loneliness and indifferent care. Conclusion This study brings new knowledge from the long-term critically ill patient's view about the impact of family, friends and nurses on the patient's inner strength and willpower. All impact is experienced positively and negatively. Relevance to clinical practice Knowledge from the long-term critically ill patient's view is vital in nurse-patient interactions to facilitate liberation of inner strength and willpower.