Critically ill patients' experiences of nursing care and the effect on their personhood: A retrospective study.

Only ten previously critically ill patients from private hospitals in one South African province were interviewed, so the experiences may not represent public hospitals, other countries, or patients with more severe cognitive or communication problems. Participants had to score at least 25 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and be able to consent and answer interview questions, so patients with severe delirium, dementia or very poor cognition were not included. Experiences were recalled retrospectively after leaving the critical care unit, so memory, recovery and current circumstances may have shaped what participants reported. The study describes patients' perceptions and does not test whether any nursing behaviour changed personhood, satisfaction or health outcomes.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest and reported no sources of funding.

Do not read these counts as proof that nursing care caused impaired personhood. This was a retrospective interview study, so it describes experiences rather than testing an effect.