Table 2.
Content analysis for the concept critical illness
| Code | Category | Theme |
| Severe illness | Severe illness | High risk of imminent death |
| Process of increasing severity | ||
| Imminent risk of death | High risk of imminent death | |
| Enough severity to lead to death rapidly | ||
| Can kill within a short time | ||
| Medical condition that results in short-term mortality | ||
| Sudden onset illness or acute deterioration | Acute onset or deterioration | |
| Acute life-threatening illness | ||
| An episode of acute illness | ||
| Increased risk of death | Life-threatening | |
| Continuous threat to life and well-being | ||
| Life-threatening or potentially life-threatening disease | ||
| High probability of life-threatening deterioration | ||
| Acutely life-threatening injury or illness | ||
| At least one and often multiple organ dysfunction | Organ dysfunction or failure | Vital organ dysfunction |
| Failure in one or more organ systems that needs support | ||
| Haemodynamic instability, respiratory failure, seizure, disorders of consciousness | ||
| Diseases with vital organ failures as complications | ||
| Threatened organ failure | Threatened organ dysfunction | |
| Potential disturbances of vital organ functions | ||
| Threatened end-organ damage | ||
| Deranged vital parameters | Vital signs derangements | |
| Physiologic reserve is diminished, as manifested by abnormal vital signs | ||
| NEWS2≥7 | ||
| Associated with significant morbidities if untreated | Treatment needed to avoid death | Requirement for care to avoid death |
| Decline in a patient’s ability to survive on their own | ||
| Conditions requiring rapid intervention to avert death or disability | ||
| An illness which without rapid treatment would result in death or disability. | ||
| Needs prompt and sustained intervention to avert death or lifelong disability | ||
| If no intervention is made, death is certain | ||
| Requiring minute-by-minute nursing and/or medical care | Requirement for immediate treatment | |
| Requires a rapid diagnosis and response to ensure good outcomes | ||
| Illnesses where timely care can reduce the chances of death and disability | ||
| Requires immediate intervention | ||
| The illness needs close monitoring and prompt management | ||
| Treatment delays of hours or less make interventions less effective | ||
| Requiring organ support | Requirement for organ support | |
| Requiring vital organ support | ||
| Requiring intensified patient monitoring and organ support | ||
| Critical care services | Requires critical care | |
| ICU admission | ||
| Illness that results in need for more than standard of care | Need for specific care | |
| Acute disease that needs specific treatment alongside the disease itself | ||
| Some element of treatability | Reversible with treatment | Potential reversibility |
| Any treatable life-threatening reversible illness | ||
| Reversible life-threatening organ failure | Potentially reversible | |
| Life-threatening situation, illness or disease that is potentially reversible | ||
| Acute potentially reversible illness |
NEWS, National Early Warning Score.