09.03.2025Data Collection for the FICUS Study Completed

An important milestone in the FICUS study (Family Support Intervention in Intensive Care Units) has been reached: Data collection has been successfully completed. As early as the beginning of 2024, the enrollment of almost 900 family members of ICU patients across German-speaking Switzerland was finalized. The research team now enters the next phase – data analysis. First results are expected later this year.

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) uses a cluster-randomized trial to test the effectiveness of a nurse-led, interprofessional family support intervention in ICUs on quality of family care, family management, and individual mental health. Additionally, the FICUS study investigates contextual influencers and strategies that facilitate successful implementation of the family support program.

After successfully completing enrollment in early 2024, the research team has now reached another milestone with the conclusion of data collection.

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, Division of Perioperative Intensive Care, Kantonsspital St. Gallen; and Dr. phil. Marie-Madlen Jeitziner, University Clinic for Intensive Care Medicine, Inselspital, University Hospital Bern.

The FICUS study, which was only possible thanks to the participants and health professionals, is financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) nand 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