TABLE 2.

Overview of included papers

Authors	Year	Country	Population	Aim/objective	Method	Findings
Alliex, S., Irurita, V. F.	2004	Australia	13 patients (and 21 nurses)	To identify the problem from the nurses' perspective in interacting with patients within a technological context and to discover how nurses dealt with this problem	Grounded theory, interviews, participant observations	Addressing the patient as an individual caring for human needs as being talked to and with, offering attention, making comfortable, maintaining presence at the bedside, giving attention, making genuine inquiries of personal requests. Reducing the impact of technology by understating it and using humour. Using touch to demonstrate empathy and compassion (soft‐hand)
Basile, M. J., Rubin, E., Wilson, M. E., Polo, J., Jacome, S. N., Brown, S. M., Heras La Calle, G., Montori, V. M., Hajazadeh N.	2021	USA	28 patients, 12 relatives (and 31 health professionals)	To understand how patients and family members experience dehumanizing or humanizing treatment when in the ICU	Qualitative analysis, Remote focus groups and open‐ended surveys on social media boards	Dehumanization occurred during “communication” exchanges when ICU team members talked “over” patients, made distressing remarks when patients were present, or failed to inform patients about ICU‐related care. “Outcomes” of dehumanization were associated with patient loss of trust in the medical team, loss of motivation to participate in ICU recovery, feeling of distress, guilt, depression, and anxiety. Humanizing behaviours were associated with improved recovery, well‐being, and trust
Cheraghi, M. A., Esmaeili, M., Salsali, M.	2017	Iran	10 patients (16 nurses and 1 physician)	To explain the process and means of providing Patient‐Centred Care	Grounded theory, semi‐structured interviews	Patient‐centred Care required an all‐embracing understanding of the patient and showing respect for their values, needs and preferences
Connelly, C., Jarvie, L., Daniel, M., Monachello, E., Quasim, T., Dunn, L., McPeake, J.	2019	UK	196 Patients	To understand what mattered to patients on a daily basis within the critical care environment and understand personal goals and what patients needed to improve their experience	Framework Method, 592 statements from patients	Four themes: Medical outcomes and information, The critical care environment, Personal care, Family and caregivers
Corner, E. J., Murray, E. J., Brett, S. J.	2019	UK	15 patients	To explore the patient experience of recovery from critical illness, with emphasis on their experience of rehabilitation, and to develop a theoretical model grounded in these data	Grounded theory, semi‐structured interviews	The central phenomenon grounded in these data was recalibration of the self. To communicate honestly and to maintain patient's hope, to be recognized as a person (‘humanized’ care), de‐humanized care included loss of agency
Fabiane, U., Correa, A. K.	2007	Brazil	17 relatives	To understand the experiences of ICU patients' relatives, to contribute to health care humanization in this context	Phenomenology, interviews	Relatives described it as a difficult, painful, speechless experience; experiencing and recognizing somebody's life: approaching the patient's suffering; break‐up of the family's daily routine; fear of having a family member die; ICU: a fearsome scene, but necessary; concern with family care
Flinterud, S. I., Moi, A. L., Gjengedal, E., Ellingsen, S.	2022	Norway	10 patients	To explore and describe what intensive care patients experience as limiting and strengthening throughout their illness trajectories to reveal their needs for support and follow‐up	Phenomenology, interview study	For patients, it was important to feel safe through a caring presence, being seen and met as a unique persona, and being supported to restore capacity
Garrouste‐Orgeas, M., Périer, A., Mouricou, P., Grégoire, C., Bruel, C., Brochon, S., Philippart, F., Max, A., Misset, B.	2014	France	32 relatives	To investigate the families' experience with reading and writing in patient ICU diaries kept by both the family and the staff	Grounded theory, semi‐structured in‐depth interviews	Family members felt the diaries humanized the medical staff and patient. The diary was a tool of humanization of the ICU. The diaries served as a powerful tool to deliver holistic patient‐ and family‐centred care despite the potentially dehumanizing ICU environment. The staff viewed the patient as a living human being
	2019	Canada	5 patients, 13 relatives (and 35 health professionals)	To assess the uptake, sustainability and influence of the Footprints Project	Mixed‐methods design, 3 audits, semi‐structured interviews	The Footprints Project facilitated holistic, patient‐centred care by setting the stage for patient and family experience, motivating the patient and humanizing the patient for clinicians. Footprints helped clinicians initiate more personal conversations, foster deeper connections and guide treatment
Milani, P., Lanferdini, I. Z., Alves, V.B. (2018)	2018	Brazil	5 relatives	To analyse the caregivers' perception of patients submitted to cardiac surgery when facing the care humanization in an ICU	Content analysis, semi‐structured interviews	Providing quality care to patients and caregivers, listening and appreciating their feelings, are essential to providing humanized care
Pereira, M. M. M., Germano, R. M., & Câmara, A. G.	2014	Brazil	10 patients	The study aims to understand the feelings of ICU patients	Qualitative interviews with 10 patients	Two major thematic groups emerged from their content: feelings of patients during shift change at the hospital beds, and relevant aspects of the ICU stay
Rodriguez‐Almagro, J., Quero Palomino, M. A., Aznar Sepulveda, E., Fernandez‐Espartero Rodriguez‐Barbero, M. D. M., Ortiz Fernandez, F., Soto Barrera, V., Hernandez‐Martinez, A.	2019	Spain	9 patients, 9 relatives (and 9 nurses)	To explore the perceptions about the experiences of patients in the ICU, their family members and nurses who attend them	Descriptive phenomenological design, interviews	Humanizing is talking, touching as the patient is a person. Patients and relatives consider technical attention as dehumanizing. Dehumanizing as long waiting hours for relatives, and separation that make the patient be alone
Stayt, L. C., Seers, K., Tutton, E.	2015	UK	19 patients	To investigate patients' experiences of technology in an adult intensive care unit	Heideggerian phenomenology, Interview study	Patients experienced technology and care as a series of paradoxical relationships: alienating yet reassuring, uncomfortable yet comforting, impersonal yet personal. By maintaining a close and supportive presence and providing personal comfort and care nurses may minimize the invasive and isolating potential of technology
Tripahty, S., Acharya, S. P., Sahoo, A. K., Mitra, J. K., Goel, K., Ahmad, S. R., Hansdah, U.	2020	India	29 relatives	To explore how families of ICU patients experienced ICU diaries	Grounded theory, interview study	Relatives experienced the diary as a communication enabler, a spiritual support that improved knowledge and helped them connect with the health care workers
Urizzi, F., Carvalho, L. M., Zampa, H. B., Ferreira, G. L., Grion, C. M., Cardoso, L. T., (2008)	2008	Brazil	27 relatives	Understand experience of family members during the patients stay in the ICU	Interviews, phenomenology	Thematic categories: difficult experience, painful, without words; put yourself in the place and perceive the other: approximation to the suffering of the patient; split in the relationship with family everyday life; fear of the family member death; concern with care of the family member