Lagina, Madeline

Abstract Rationale: ICU nurses can experience high levels of burnout and job dissatisfaction due to stressors associated with high-stakes patient care, uncertain outcomes, and constant exposure to death. Witnessing patient recovery and/or disability status in the weeks or months after hospital discharge through reconnection with survivors of critical illness and their families may offer emotional and professional benefits to ICU nurses. However, the impact of connecting with patients’ post-ICU outcomes on nursing clinical practice and job satisfaction has not been well explored. This study aimed to investigate pragmatic perspectives from ICU nurses related to their insights on long-term patient outcomes after critical illness with a goal of identifying key mechanisms that may be associated with impacts on clinical practice and job satisfaction. Methods: A web-based investigator-designed survey was distributed to ICU nurses with endorsement from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for completion via their website and annual conference. Survey items included quantitative and open-ended prompts to examine the impact of reconnecting with ICU survivors on clinical practice and job satisfaction. Thematic analysis was performed on free-text responses. Results: Fifty-four ICU nurses (76% female) participated in the survey (June 2023-May 2024), with a median age of 41 years and a median of 7 years of critical care experience. Among them, 89% reported that reconnecting with survivors positively impacted their job satisfaction, and 78% felt that reconnecting influenced their clinical practice. Thematic analysis revealed three themes: Empathy and Human Connection – Nurses felt validated and fulfilled knowing their care positively impacted patients’ lives, reinforcing the meaning of their work. These interactions fostered greater empathy, reminding nurses of the real-life impact of their care.Validation of Effort and Accomplishment – Nurses reported a stronger sense of accomplishment seeing the positive outcomes of their work. Reconnecting with survivors reaffirmed the importance of their roles, strengthening nurses’ sense of purpose and commitment.Positive Emotional Impact and Job Satisfaction – Interactions with survivors provided emotional uplift, enhancing job satisfaction and reminding nurses of the rewarding aspects of their roles. Gratitude and progress from survivors motivated nurses, helping them manage the emotional challenges of ICU work. Conclusion: Reconnecting with ICU survivors and their families may have positive impacts on job satisfaction and clinical practice by providing emotional rewards, reinforcing nurses’ professional purpose, and validating their contributions to patient recovery. Embedding structured, low-cost re-engagement activities with critical illness survivors could offer valuable benefits to the ICU nurse workforce.