Study Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Psychosocial Care Intervention in Intensive Care

Integrated Psychosocial Care in Intensive Care: Piloting of an Innovative Care Approach (IPS Pilot) - Study Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This Pilot-RCT is part of a feasibility study that aims to learn if the IPS-psychosocial care intervention and an RCT on its efficacy are feasible in patients, relatives and staff on icu wards. The Pilot-RCT will examine outcomes, that might indicate an improvement in psychosocial safety climate and other health- and wellbeing-related measures due to the administration of the intervention that is described in the following. The main question the Pilot-RCT aims to answer is:

Is there evidence that the IPS intervention improves the psychosocial safety climate and other components of psychosocial well-being in ICU teams, patients and their relatives?

Researchers will compare four intervention groups (icu wards with implementation of the IPS-Intervention) with four control groups (icu wards with regular supply of psychosocial care) to see if the comparison of two groups in this RCT is feasible.

The IPS-Intervention consists of a ward psychologist who works as part of the ICU team and takes care of the staff, patients and relatives in accordance to the intervention manual that was developed in a prior phase of this project.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Affiliation to one of the 8 participating ICU wards during the duration of the study, either by: occupation as a healthcare professional, admission as a patient, relation to an admitted patient

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age under 18 years old
• Inability to give informed consent