Roy (2009), in her recent work, takes into account that the twenty-first century is a time
of spiritual vision, transition, and transformation. It is a reorientation of self, self in roles
and self in relation to significant others. Humans, by their decisions, are accountable for the
integration of creative process (Roy, 2009). In the face of a critical illness requiring care in
an ICU, transformation, which involves self-analysis, re-evaluation, self-restructuring, selfintegration,
and self-re-organisation, indicates an integrated and high level of adaptation.
Adaptation in an ICU, based on the experiences of patients, their family members, and
nurses integrates physical/physiological, psychosocial support and family as a unit, resulting
in transformation. These processes of transformation were noted in the three categories of
participants: namely, the patients, their family members, and the nurses. Each category of
Brigitte S. Cypress,'Patient-Family-Nurse Intensive Care Unit Experience' | 13
participants presented unique ways of transformation. This was evident in the nurses, patients,
and family members' descriptors for the theme of transformation.