The continuum of care is a term used to describe the collective phases of patients'
illnesses. In critical care, it is recognised that phases such as pre–intensive care
unit (ICU), during-ICU, and post-ICU do not occur in isolation but are inheritably
linked and influence a patient's recovery journey.
[1]
Understanding evidence-based care needs has moved beyond focussed healthcare delivery
within the walls of the ICU and has rapidly progressed to exploring and evaluating
care needs before and post ICU admission.
2
,
3
,
4
Researching along the critical care continuum has enabled a more focussed understanding
of the impact of critical care illness on survivors and their families, considering
functions such as being able to communicate or mobilise, and more broadly speaking,
considering participation in society through activities as return to work.
[5]
From a resource and healthcare workforce planning model, evidence from across the
entire continuum of care is imperative. It enables understanding and drives advocacy
for adequate staffing across nursing, medical, and allied health for the delivery
of timely and adequate care considering diverse health needs. How do we understand what patients need and want? Increased use of experience-based co-design research methodologies (EBCD), which
include understanding the state of evidence; observing processes of care; collection
of patient, family, and staff voices; and joint collaborative design of care pathways,
is one such solution.
[6]
These inclusive and well-considered research methodologies are pivotal to understanding
and designing solutions that consider all members of the critical care team—nursing,
medical, allied health, and patients/families with lived experience.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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