The meaning of caring touch for healthcare professionals in an intensive care unit : A qualitative interview study

Background: The way health care professionals touch patients and relatives in the intensive care unit plays a significant role. A negative feeling can be caused by being touched in the wrong way, this is why a holistic approach with respect for the patient is important for the ability to make the patient and their relatives feel secure, avoiding unnecessary suffering. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe the meaning of caring touch that is given in the ICU from the health care professionals perspective. Method: Qualitative interview study with health care professionals in the intensive care unit, analysed using inductive content analysis, resulting in two themes and four main categories. Findings: Two themes emerged: Imperative touch and emotional touch and four main categories: touch as a natural tool, create a prerequisite for touch, empathetic touch and conversant touch. Conclusion: Caring touch can be used as a natural tool in the daily work in order to bring comfort and calm to the patient in the intensive care unit.