The study aims to determine how FICUS® and similar family support interventions can best be implemented in intensive care units. To this end, FICUS® will be prepared for nationwide implementation in ICUs. Different implementation strategies, varying in type and intensity, will be developed and compared. Each ICU will apply only one implementation approach. The study will assess whether all families can be reached and whether they benefit from the intervention. Various data will be collected, and healthcare professionals in ICUs as well as patients’ family members will be surveyed.
Scientific and societal context of the research project
Family support programs – such as FICUS® - that have been shown to be effective in research are often not translated into routine healthcare practice. As a result, they fail to provide tangible benefits to all patients and their families. To date, it remains unclear how such support programs can be implemented as a standard component of care in intensive care settings. This study aims to identify how family support programs can be efficiently integrated into the healthcare system in the future. In doing so, it seeks to ensure high-quality care for families of critically ill or injured patients and to sustainably improve their well-being.
