Implementation Study with Healthcare Professionals
How can the FICUS® family-centered care model be successfully implemented?
For the FICUS® family-centered care model to have a lasting impact, it must fit well into everyday routines and treatment processes in intensive care units. An accompanying implementation study was therefore conducted to explore how the introduction of the FICUS® model was experienced by staff in the eight ICUs where the intervention was implemented: What supported implementation? What were the barriers? And under what conditions can FICUS® be successfully established?
The implementation study consists of three parts:
1. Context Analysis
Before the start of the FICUS® implementation, those responsible at each ICU assessed the local conditions – for example, how well the teams collaborated, their openness to change, the level of leadership engagement, and the availability of staff and time resources. This assessment helped tailor the new care model to each site’s specific circumstances.
2. Process Evaluation
This part examined how the FICUS® care model was implemented in the eight ICUs. Overall, the model was met with a high level of acceptance, though the ease of integration into daily clinical routines varied by location. Key success factors included committed and supportive leadership, an open team culture, and adequate staffing. Challenges arose primarily from limited time resources and the constraints of working within a tightly defined study framework.
3. Summative Evaluation
At the end of the implementation phase, over 200 staff members from eight ICUs completed a survey, and 64 of them also participated in interviews. They were asked for their assessment of the model’s implementation: How did they experience the process? How well could it be integrated into the ICU work routine? And how meaningful and supportive was it – for family members, patients, and the interprofessional teams?
The results of the summative evaluation will be available soon.