IJNHCR Journal

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to describe the lived experiences of a patient in a coronavirus disease 2019 intensive care unit. Design: This study employed an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Methods: This study was conducted in the coronavirus intensive care unit of a tertiary university hospital in Japan. Data were collected from June 5, 2020 to March 30, 2021, via field observations and unstructured interviews. Informal interviews were conducted with five patients, and an in-depth interview was conducted with a male patient in his 70s—the only patient who survived throughout the research period and could communicate verbally. A phenomenological approach was adopted, which focused on describing the patient’s experience thoroughly from his perspective and analyzing the internal logic of his story while avoiding the introduction of external elements. Results: The patient described feeling alienated and stuck between this world and the afterlife. His experiences revealed five themes: “Disconnected from reality,” “Could I return to my former self?” “The doctors did not enter my room,” “Identifying people by voice and smell,” and “Going back and forth between this world and the afterlife.” Although he experienced death anxiety, he hoped to live in a shared world with others. The patient struggled to form relationships with healthcare personnel because he did not know the people around him. Conclusions: Individualized care must be provided to instill hope in patients. Understanding patients’ experiences can help in implementing measures to retain patients’ sense of identity and belongingness, thereby enhancing their well-being.

Keywords: Communication; COVID-19 pandemic; Critically ill; Intensive care; Life experiences; Patient engagement; Phenomenology; Qualitative research