22.03.2023Participants in FICUS trial: more than half of the recruitment aim has been achieved

The intensive care units (ICU) in German-speaking Switzerland participating in the FICUS trial have been recruiting family members of ICU patients since June 2022. The aim is to include almost 900 participants. More than half of this recruitment aim has now been achieved. The study is well on track.

Families of patients treated in intensive care units (ICU) are themselves profoundly affected by the critical illness or trauma. They experience considerable stress, which means that about one third of family members experience adverse mental health.

The FICUS study (Family Support Intervention in Intensive Care Units) is a hybrid, cluster-randomized trial that tests the effect of a nurse-led, interprofessional family support intervention in ICUs on quality of family care, family management, and individual mental health. Additionally, the FICUS trial investigates contextual influencers and strategies that facilitate or impede successful implementation of the family support program.

Recruitment of family members in the 16 participating ICUs in German-speaking Switzerland began in June 2022. More than half of the required 900 family member participants have been enrolled in the study.

The study values patient and public involvement in research. Therefore, patients and family member actively contribute to the study processes. The FICUS Patient and Family Advisory Group consists of three family members, one patient, and a patient expert.

The study is led by Professor Dr. phil. Rahel Naef, Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, University of Zurich and Centre for Clinical Nursing Science at University Hospital Zurich; Professor Dr. med. Miodrag Filipovic, Anesthesiology/Intensive Care Medicine at Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen; and Dr. phil. Marie-Madlen Jeitziner, University Clinic for Intensive Care Medicine, Inselspital, University Hospital Bern.

The FICUS study is financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and supported by the Swiss Society of Intensive Medicine.

Sixteen ICUs are involved: University Hospital Zurich, Inselspital Bern, Lindenhofspital Bern, Cantonal Hospital Graubünden, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Cantonal Hospital Baden, Cantonal Hospital Frauenfeld, Cantonal Hospital Olten, Cantonal Hospital Winterthur, Hospital Thun, Hirslanden Clinic Zurich, and the Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen