Being a fellow patient to a critically ill patient leads to feelings of anxiety – an interview study

Abstract

Objectives: To explore in-patients’ experiences being a fellow patient to patients who become critically ill.

Design: The study was designed as a qualitative phenomenological study.

Setting: The study was conducted in a surgical ward of a hospital in Denmark.

Subjects: Fifteen fellow patients to patients, who became critically ill.

Results: Three key themes emerged from the analysis of the data: patients’ interaction, anxiety, and professional support. These findings demonstrated the importance of understanding how patients experienced being a fellow patient to patients, who become critically ill, their views on interacting with such a patient, how the patients who become critically ill influenced them, and what kind of support they needed from the health professionals.

Conclusion: The findings highlighted the different emotions and feelings experienced by fellow patients. It showed how the impact of the situation can lead to anxiety, a feeling of being forced into patient inter-action and the lack of professional support. Health professionals should have a central role in supporting the fellow patients and communicating with them about their experiences and this does not seem to be fulfilled sufficiently in daily clinical practice.