Advances in sedation management and early rehabilitation have enabled intensive care unit (ICU) patients to recall and form their own care experiences. However, existing patient-reported experience measures often draw from general inpatient populations, lacking specificity to the ICU context. This study aimed to explore the key elements, in order to help shape the framework of ICU patients' experience. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted with 18 patients from 4 ICUs at Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital, China. Semistructured interviews were carried out within 1 week of ICU discharge between January and February 2024. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis following the COREQ checklist. The analysis identified 5 functional domains encompassing 8 themes: organizational (Rapid Response, ICU-managed Transfer), informational (Information Provision), relational (Caring Respect), clinical (Professionalism in Healthcare), and logistical (ICU Environment, Physical Comfort, Family Visitation). These domains and themes were derived from participants' narratives, revealing how ICU patients perceived and made sense of their care experiences. The study provides a patient-centered perspective on critical care experience, contributing to the conceptual framework of ICU patient experience. Findings underscore the importance of addressing both clinical and nonclinical aspects of care. Further research is needed to translate these experiential elements into a structured patient-reported experience measure tailored for ICU populations, ultimately supporting more responsive and compassionate critical care practices.
Keywords: patient experience; patient/relationship-centered; qualitative methods; quality improvement.
© The Author(s) 2025.