Nurses' experience of the transfer of ICU patients to general wards: A great responsibility and a huge challenge.

Aims And Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe nurses' experiences of patients' transition from ICUs to general wards and their suggestions for improvements.

Background: In the ICU, the most seriously ill patients with life-threatening conditions and multiple organ dysfunction syndromes are cared for and carefully monitored by specially trained professionals using advanced techniques for the prevention of failure of vital functions. The transfer of ICU patients to general wards means a change from a high to a lower level, including the loss of one-to-one nursing and a reduction of visible monitoring equipment and general close attention.