Mitigating uncertainty and improving nursing quality: information needs for patients and their families regarding intensive care unit (ICU) tours for lung cancer surgery.

backgroundInformation asymmetry between healthcare providers and patients undergoing lung cancer surgery can result in reduced treatment engagement, lower admission satisfaction, and a greater risk of medical disputes, particularly regarding the transition to the intensive care unit (ICU). This study aims to map the ICU pre-experience pattern by first identifying, along a timeline of key ICU stages, the specific information that patients awaiting lung-cancer surgery and their families require during the peri-ICU period.

methodsA qualitative study was conducted by purposive sampling at the Lung Cancer Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Semistructured interviews were held with 36 participants (17 patients and 19 families). The interview transcripts were analyzed by content analysis with NVivo 12.0 software.

resultsThe analysis identified a structured hierarchy of information needs, comprising 2 first-level themes, 4 second-level themes, and 13 third-level themes. The core finding was that patients' information needs were greater than those of their families. Patients were predominantly concerned about postoperative care and their physical perceptions. In contrast, families focused more on process-oriented information, such as the ICU transfer process and required signatures before admission, as well as the patient's surgical outcomes and treatment process after admission.

conclusionPatients and their families have comprehensive yet distinct information needs prior to ICU admission. Healthcare providers are their primary information source, underscoring the necessity for a structured, proactive, and patient-centered approach to information delivery. These findings provide a foundational framework for developing an "ICU pre-experience" pattern to mitigate uncertainty and improve nursing quality.