The lived experience of critical care nurses caring for patients with intensive care unit-acquired weakness: a qualitative study

Background: Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is a prevalent neuromuscular complication with high morbidity. Understanding the nursing experience is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Aims: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences and challenges of critical care nurses caring for patients with ICU-AW. Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was employed. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with ten critical care nurses. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. Results: Analysis identified three core themes: (1) deficits in disease understanding, (2) challenges in patient nursing and (3) insufficiency of systemic support. Conclusions: The study highlights the complex realities of ICU-AW nursing, contributing a foundational narrative to nursing theory on the burdens of rehabilitation in critical care. It provides direct evidence for policy, recommending mandatory ICU-AW education in nursing curricula, the development of standardised interdisciplinary rehabilitation protocols and institutional support systems to mitigate nurse burnout and enhance collaborative practice. This study illuminates the critical nursing perspective on ICU-AW, advocating for the integration of structured rehabilitative nursing practices, supportive debriefing mechanisms and stronger interdisciplinary collaboration to improve both patient outcomes and nurse job satisfaction.