Abstract

Background: The long run physical, cognitive and emotional consequences of admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) are well-known. However, the ongoing debate on the best practices supporting the former ICU patients and their relatives for these consequences, is still inconclusive. A new method, ‘Balance-training’, has been developed to stimulate the regaining of emotional and physical capability.
Aim: The study aimed to explore the experiences of trainees on both the individual intake questionnaire and the group-based programme of Balance-training.
Methods: Eight ICU survivors in a central region of the Netherlands, voluntarily participated in the study. They started their Balance-training in January or March 2016, with the same coaches and outline of the course. The course included psycho-education, mindfulness-based stress reduction exercises, and peer support during a 10-week programme. The design of the pilot study was a longitudinal mixed method. Semi-structured interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and fragmented until the point of saturation. Open, axial, and selective coding were used to analyze the results. A questionnaire was sent to the respondents before (= t1), at the end (=t2), and three months after finishing (=t3) the Balance-training.
Results: All respondents stated that they appreciated the Balance-training and would recommend it to others. The combination of group-based psycho-education, peer support, and mindfulness-based stress reduction exercises seemed to suffice the ICU survivors, increasing self-management and personal wellbeing. A positive effect on depression, anxiety and stress level was measured, however, the differences in t1, t2, and t3 were not further analyzed due to a limited number of respondents. The training offered the possibility to learn and grow from their own and others’ experiences. The three pillars in the Balancetraining could provide a complete package in striving for personal growth and adaptation in ICU survivors.
Conclusion: Balance-training as a new method in the aftercare of ICU patients showed preliminary positive results in self-management and offered support and tools to take care of one´s own emotional and physical balance in life.