Background

Writing a diary for intensive care patients has been shown to facilitate patientrecovery and prevent post-traumatic stress following hospitalisation.

Aim

This study aimed to describe the experiences of critical care nurses’ (CCNs’) in writing personal diaries for ICU patients.

Method

The study was conducted with a qualitative design. Ten CCNs from two hospitals participated. Data were collected with semi-structured interviews and analysed using a qualitative thematic content analysis.

Findings

The result consists of a theme: Patient diary: a complex nursing intervention in all its simplicity, as well as four categories: Writing informatively and with awareness shows respect and consideration; The diary is important for both patient and CCN; To jointly create an organisation that facilitates and develops the writing; Relatives’ involvement in the diary is a matter of course.

Conclusion

CCNs are aware of the diary’s importance for the patient and relatives, but experience difficulties in deciding which patients should get this intervention and how to prioritize it. Writing a personal diary for an ICU patient is a nursing intervention that is complicated in its simplicity.