The Roy Adaptation Model (Roy, 2009) is a guide for nurses to identify and assess behaviours
in each of the four modes of adaptation, namely: physiologic, self-concept, role
function and interdependence. The findings from this study support the need for comprehensive
assessment of the critically ill patients and their family members in the ICU during
critical illness, thus enabling family-centred care by nurses. This phenomenological study
shed light on the meaning of the intensive care unit experience during critical illness from
the perspectives of patients, their family members, and the nurses. Although results of
qualitative studies should not be generalised to broader populations, this researcher believes
that the knowledge gained from this study may be of benefit to nursing practice, education,
and future research. This study supports the tenets of family-centred care, which mandates
the purposeful inclusion of the family in all aspects of care such as including them in inter-
14 | Qualitative Research Journal, vol. 11, no. 2, 2011
disciplinary rounds and discharge planning. Implications from the data also suggest flexible
and open visitation and family presence during emergency and invasive procedures.