Occupations, freedom, and values: a case study in a Coronary Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Introduction Illness can be a limiting factor for engaging in occupations, especially when the person hospitalized in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The ICU environment, which is associated with a rigid routine and invasive procedures, can have various repercussions for the hospitalized individual. In this study, the perspective on the individual is based on Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, which views humans in their entirety and as capable of enduring suffering and finding meaning in life through the realization of values. Objective Understand how occupations are experienced by individuals in a Coronary ICU and address them considering freedom and values. Method This is a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive case study. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview and a free expression activity. Results It was observed that the ICU routine impacts occupations, as does the loss of autonomy and independence and the manifestation of feelings of fear, anxiety, and social isolation. Nevertheless, considering the human dimension of noetic freedom, the participant responded to these challenges by realizing creative, experiential, and attitudinal values. Conclusion The way hospitalization in an ICU impacts occupations can be modified if the individual adopts an alternative attitude towards the given conditions. In this context, engaging in occupations can enable the realization of values, which facilitates finding a new meaning of life.