The Experiences and Needs of Nursing Staff During Patients' ICU ‐To‐Ward Transition: A Meta‐Synthesis of Qualitative Studies

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit (ICU) transitional care ensures continuous care for patients transferring from the ICU to general wards. Relevant qualitative studies show that nurses play a vital role here, so exploring their real experiences and needs is essential for nursing development. AIM: To summarise the current qualitative evidence on the experiences and needs of nursing staff during ICU transitional care. STUDY DESIGN: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies retrieved through a search conducted in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, VIP Database, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL and Embase from inception to June 2025. All studies that presented qualitative findings on the experiences, feelings and needs of nursing staff, based on participants' reports, were included. Data extracted included publication year, location, sample size, study design, data collection method, phenomenon of interest and all qualitative themes identified. FINDINGS: Thirteen studies were selected for inclusion, resulting in four synthesised findings: the practical challenges faced by nursing staff during the ICU transition period, their perceptions and attitudes towards transitional care, their supportive needs for transitional care and recommendations for improving transitional care. CONCLUSIONS: The provision of transitional care services by nursing staff is influenced by factors such as existing medical resources, psychological support, workflows and organisational structures. These can guide nursing administrators and healthcare institutions in addressing the occupational needs of nursing personnel, optimising transitional care interventions and promoting the high-quality development of transitional care practices. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Despite cultural differences, the experiences and needs of nursing staff during the transition period in the ICU reflect commonalities across cultures. The review gives specific advice for ICU transition care, including establishing effective communication models, psychological support and professional training, establishing ICU liaison nurses and formulating standardised ICU transition procedures.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Nursing in Critical Care, 2026 · DOI ↗