Research Projects

Our research projects focus on how families in ICUs can be comprehensively supported, guided, and actively involved as partners in the care of their loved ones. At the core of this work is the family-focused care model FICUS®, in which specially trained family nurses support, inform, and relieve family members, while also facilitating communication with the clinical care team.

The research projects surrounding FICUS® examine this model of care from multiple perspectives. They investigate its effectiveness for families, how it is experienced by them, and under which conditions it can be implemented in routine clinical practice (FICUS Study, 2021-2025).

Building on these findings, further projects have been developed: The FICUScale Study (2026-2030) explores how the model can be expanded across all language regions of Switzerland and implemented in different intensive care units, embedding it into routine practice and enabling it to reach a large number of families. 
In another project – eFICUS (2026-2028) – a digital solution will be leveraged to better inform, support, and involve families in care through the use of a digital coaching tool.

In addition, collaboration between patient and family advocates and researchers is being examined as part of a PPIE-Evaluation. The goal is to better understand how patients and their families can be meaningfully involved in research as partners and what factors contribute to successful collaboration.

Together, these projects contribute to the evidence-based advancement of family-focused care and aim to ensure that such approaches are effective, feasible in clinical practice, and sustainably integrated into healthcare systems.