# Examining concepts related to critical illness and the management of critically ill patients: a protocol for a scoping review

## TL;DR

This study aims to identify and map clinical concepts related to managing critically ill patients to improve communication and care across healthcare teams.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in being the first to systematically map concepts across the entire care pathway of critically ill adult patients.

## Key findings

- The review will identify and synthesize concepts related to critical illness management.
- It will map these concepts across the care pathway to highlight gaps and overlaps.
- Results will inform clinical practice and guide future research directions.

## Abstract

Critically ill patients present with highly complex care needs that necessitate specialised, efficient collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. Effective communication and shared understanding of clinical concepts are imperative to delivering optimised care and enhancing patient outcomes. Concept analysis methodology offers a structured approach to clarifying complex clinical concepts to promote consistency in understanding and application. Gaining insight into concepts already described in this patient population, alongside identifying gaps, could support more collaborative understanding. This scoping review aims to systematically identify, synthesise, and map concepts underpinning the management of critically ill adult patients along the stages of the critical illness care pathway.

We will search the databases MEDLINE ALL, EMBASE, CINAHL Complete, and Web of Science Core Collection from inception to date of search. Grey literature will be identified via ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. Reference lists of included studies will be screened to identify additional relevant literature. We will include studies using concept analysis methodology that explore, or define, concepts related to the management of critically ill adult patients at any stage of the care pathway. Screening and data extraction processes will be piloted and conducted independently and in duplicate. Extracted data will be analysed using descriptive statistics and narrative synthesis. Study characteristics will be summarised in tables. We will describe which concepts have been explored and how they have been defined, detail of the concept analysis method used, and in what populations and phases of the care pathway. Concepts will be mapped visually to illustrate their distribution across the pathway.

No reviews to date have summarised or mapped the concepts relating to the management of critically ill adult patients across the care pathway. Results of this review will inform clinical practice and help identify gaps for future research.

This protocol is registered on OSF
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/Z63CW

Patients who become critically ill may receive care in a range of settings, such as the emergency department, hospital ward, intensive care unit, rehabilitation services, and community after discharge home. Their treatment often needs input from many healthcare professionals working together. To make sure this care is safe and effective, clear communication and a shared understanding of medical concepts (ideas or ways of doing things) are essential. However, some of these concepts can be difficult to understand or may mean something different to individual healthcare professionals.

We want to understand which concepts have already been identified in relation to the care of critically ill adult patients in any setting.

We will carry out an organised search of the research papers to find studies that explore these concepts. Two members of the research team will review the studies to decide which ones are relevant. For each relevant study, we will record key details in a spreadsheet, then summarise and describe the findings. We will also create a diagram to show how these concepts are used across different stages of critical illness care, from the beginning of treatment to recovery.

The results of this review will help healthcare teams to develop a shared understanding about key concepts, improve communication, and work together more effectively. It will also highlight areas where further research is needed to improve care for critically ill adults. In addition, patients may benefit from knowing that these concepts have been explored, which could help them better understand their own critical illness journey.