Uncertainty experienced by the critical patient upon discharge to the general ward: Care proposals from the perspective of Mishel's theory.

Data came from one ICU in Barcelona, so other settings may differ. Only 20 interviews were reported, and 13 patients were excluded after meeting criteria because speech was not fluent or coherent. Participants had to be cognitively able, pain free, stable and off vasoactive drugs, so more impaired or delirious patients were not represented. The interviewer was a nurse in the unit, and patients assigned to that nurse were excluded, but the care relationship could still influence accounts. The analysis was organised around predefined categories from Mishel's theory, so other experiences may not have been explored. The study focused on experiences before or at discharge from intensive care, not on outcomes after arrival on the ward. Clinical and demographic characteristics were placed in supplementary material, which is not available here. The findings are experiences and care proposals, not evidence that the proposed actions reduce anxiety or improve discharge.

Do not read the reference nurse, handover and discharge information ideas as proven ways to reduce anxiety. The study reports experiences from 20 interviews in one intensive care unit, not a trial of these interventions.