What are the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery at home in Aotearoa (New Zealand)?

There is little research exploring the survivorship journey, impairments experienced, or the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Constructivist grounded theory was used to explore the recovery journey of 11 participants interviewed six to nine months after...

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Main Authors: Lynsey Sutton, Elliot Bell, Susanna Every-Palmer, Paul Skirrow
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-10-01
Series:Kōtuitui
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/1177083X.2025.2519170
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author Lynsey Sutton
Elliot Bell
Susanna Every-Palmer
Paul Skirrow
author_facet Lynsey Sutton
Elliot Bell
Susanna Every-Palmer
Paul Skirrow
author_sort Lynsey Sutton
collection DOAJ
description There is little research exploring the survivorship journey, impairments experienced, or the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Constructivist grounded theory was used to explore the recovery journey of 11 participants interviewed six to nine months after hospital discharge. The overall concept outlining critical illness recovery was defined as the ‘work of recovery’. This concept was chosen to reflect that recovery was, for most, burdensome and arduous. Five core categories underpinning the concept were constructed: (1) ‘Enduring symptoms and health turmoil’, (2) ‘Psychological toll of critical illness’, (3) ‘Adaptation, acceptance and regeneration’, (4) ‘Facilitators of recovery’, and (5) ‘Barriers and gaps to recovery. These categories underpin the disability, cognitive dysfunction, and psychological fragility experienced during the recovery journey. Survivors were highly dependent on others in the early recovery stages. Access to rehabilitation and whānau (family) support were facilitators of recovery. However, survivors often lacked the support and oversight from healthcare teams, with unmet needs around information about expectations, timelines, and symptoms, and follow-up aftercare. Psychological support, information, and reassurance around cognitive dysfunction and recovery trajectories are needed. Little to no follow-up exists for survivors once home, a missed opportunity to address all these issues.
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spelling doaj-art-c915613918d84234a64e4eafe2f9359e2025-08-20T03:40:30ZengTaylor & Francis GroupKōtuitui1177-083X2025-10-012041247127010.1080/1177083X.2025.2519170What are the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery at home in Aotearoa (New Zealand)?Lynsey Sutton0Elliot Bell1Susanna Every-Palmer2Paul Skirrow3Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Wellington Intensive Care Unit, Wellington Regional Hospital, Health New Zealand, Wellington, New ZealandSchool of Psychology, Massey University, Wellington, New ZealandDepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New ZealandDepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New ZealandThere is little research exploring the survivorship journey, impairments experienced, or the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Constructivist grounded theory was used to explore the recovery journey of 11 participants interviewed six to nine months after hospital discharge. The overall concept outlining critical illness recovery was defined as the ‘work of recovery’. This concept was chosen to reflect that recovery was, for most, burdensome and arduous. Five core categories underpinning the concept were constructed: (1) ‘Enduring symptoms and health turmoil’, (2) ‘Psychological toll of critical illness’, (3) ‘Adaptation, acceptance and regeneration’, (4) ‘Facilitators of recovery’, and (5) ‘Barriers and gaps to recovery. These categories underpin the disability, cognitive dysfunction, and psychological fragility experienced during the recovery journey. Survivors were highly dependent on others in the early recovery stages. Access to rehabilitation and whānau (family) support were facilitators of recovery. However, survivors often lacked the support and oversight from healthcare teams, with unmet needs around information about expectations, timelines, and symptoms, and follow-up aftercare. Psychological support, information, and reassurance around cognitive dysfunction and recovery trajectories are needed. Little to no follow-up exists for survivors once home, a missed opportunity to address all these issues.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/1177083X.2025.2519170Follow-upPICSrecoverysurvivorshipquality of life
spellingShingle Lynsey Sutton
Elliot Bell
Susanna Every-Palmer
Paul Skirrow
What are the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery at home in Aotearoa (New Zealand)?
Kōtuitui
Follow-up
PICS
recovery
survivorship
quality of life
title What are the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery at home in Aotearoa (New Zealand)?
title_full What are the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery at home in Aotearoa (New Zealand)?
title_fullStr What are the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery at home in Aotearoa (New Zealand)?
title_full_unstemmed What are the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery at home in Aotearoa (New Zealand)?
title_short What are the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery at home in Aotearoa (New Zealand)?
title_sort what are the needs of critical illness survivors during recovery at home in aotearoa new zealand
topic Follow-up
PICS
recovery
survivorship
quality of life
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/1177083X.2025.2519170
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