Hope in the ICU: a qualitative study exploring nurses' experiences of the concept of hope

*Hope is an essential part of the coping process for relatives who have a family member admitted to an intensive care unit * Members of the intensive care team place insufficient emphasis on the role of hope within a holistic care framework * It is uncommon for hope to completely disappear, even at times of great distress * The relatives of critically ill patients can be encouraged to focus on hope goals that are realistic, meaningful and achievable with support from nursing staff * Realistic, meaningful and achievable goals are most likely to be developed through good interpersonal interactions between family units and nurses * The relatives of critically ill patients could benefit from follow-up clinics.