Integrated Psychosocial Care in Intensive Care (IPS-Pilot): Study Protocol of Phase A of the Systematic Development and Pilot Testing of a Complex Intervention (Preprint)

Abstract

There is a high and co-dependent strain on health care professionals (HCPs), patients and their relatives in intensive care units (ICUs), leading to long-term mental, physical and occupational consequences. To this date, there is no systematic intervention to address this increasing problem.

The aim of the IPS-Pilot project is the development (phase A) and pilot testing (phase B) of an integrated and complex psychosocial care intervention for HCPs, patients, and their relatives in ICUs. This study protocol focuses on phase A.

Findings on needs, expected benefits and necessary framework conditions for implementation were collected in a structured, multi-methodical manner from the above-mentioned target group. These methods included a scoping umbrella review, interviews and focus group discussions, as well as a quantitative survey. Based on the theories of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) and conservation of resources (COR), the final intervention concept was then developed through participative and team-oriented methods with project stakeholders.

Through the four substudies, we aimed to gain insight into the psychosocial needs of the above-mentioned target groups, and to develop a model of the problem as well as a model of how these needs can be effectively addressed through a psychosocial intervention. The results of the substudies as well as the final, needs-based intervention design will be published separately.

Phase B will assess the feasibility of the IPS intervention. These findings will be incorporated into our intervention design and provide the basis for a future randomized controlled trial of its efficacy.

OSF: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/VFXJK