'Fishing with the dead'-Recall of memories from the ICU

Analysis of the data generated by the questionnaire revealed that the most common memories of ICU were anxiety, pain, thirst and nausea. Nightmares, hallucinations and confusion were also common and were reported to be highly distressing. The transcribed interviews were subjected to a thematic analysis. The themes that emerged were, reality and unreality, blackness and colour, powerlessness and purpose, and death. Participants described horrifying paranoid delusions. It is proposed that constant reassurance and explaining every day ICU happenings may assist patients to understand what they are experiencing and loved ones may provide an important link with reality.