Explaining Management Status of Intensive Care Units Beds: A Qualitative Study

Access to intensive care unit (ICU) beds varies in different countries. Due to the population growth, aging, and longer survival of chronic patients, demand for these beds is increasing all over the world. The present study was performed to assess the management status of ICU beds in selected teaching hospitals affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.

This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis method in 2016. In this study, 25 participants were selected by purposive sampling and with maximum variation, and were interviewed by semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. The interviews were performed in the participants' workplace and lasted between 30 and 60 min. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis approach.

After data analysis, 4 main themes including human capacities related to bed management, the relevant organizational and managerial requirements, ICU prioritized patients' admission and discharge manner, and strategies for promotion and improvement of ICU bed management status and 12 subthemes related to the management status of ICU beds were extracted.

According to the results, in our country, bed management in the intensive care units faces many challenges, especially in the areas related to human capacities, ICU admission and discharge prioritization method, and ICUs' monitoring and control, which need to be paid more attention. These challenges can be addressed through training more ICU specialists, observing international admission and discharge criteria, and using appropriate monitoring and control systems.