Humanizing and dehumanizing intensive care: Thematic synthesis (HumanIC).
Anne Højager Nielsen, Monica Evelyn Kvande, Sanne Angel
PMID 36281216WHAT IT FOUND
ICU patients and relatives felt care was humanized when staff recognized them as persons: eye contact, kind touch, tailored information, personal care, and keeping family bonds.
Dehumanization arose when attention focused on machines or relatives were separated.
Key findings
01Patients felt humanized when staff recognized them as unique persons through eye contact, kind touch, and attention to small comfort needs.
02Relatives felt humanized when they could stay connected to the patient and were welcomed, informed, and cared for by staff.
03Dehumanizing experiences included feeling like an extension of technology, lacking tailored information, and restrictive visitation separating relatives.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included a relatively small number of qualitative papers specifically addressing patients' and relatives' perceptions of humanized or dehumanized intensive care. The search was limited to papers in English, Danish, Swedish or Norwegian, and it excluded non-adult ICU settings, laboratory studies, COVID-19 treatment, and end-of-life care. The findings are interpretive themes from qualitative studies; they do not test whether any specific action improves survival, delirium, function, or other clinical outcomes. Quality assessment showed some included studies had unclear or negative items, and the synthesis relied on researchers' judgement to move from descriptive themes to analytical themes.
Declared interests
The paper states that the research received no specific grant from any funding agency. The supplied text does not report author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that particular gestures or policies improve clinical outcomes. The synthesis reports what patients and relatives experienced as humanizing or dehumanizing, not tested interventions or measured effects.