Pacient perceptions of critical care

This bachelor thesis offers a comprehensive view of the specifics of the intensive care unit and legislative requirements for its operation. The thesis studies patients' perception of the environment in the ICU and discusses burdensome physical aspects of hospitalized patients; especially light, noise and microclimate conditions. The empirical part describes the research conducted by questionnaire to the group of 40 patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit Department of Surgery, University Hospital in Hradec Králové. The thesis reflects perception, experience and assessment of environmental effects of intensive care unit on hospitalized patients, and the result of the thesis was the finding that although there are a lot of disturbing aspects in the specific environment of intensive care units, majority of surveyed patients were satisfied during their stay at intensive care units. The information obtained will serve as a basis for improving the conditions at the intensive care unit