Structure and phases of focus groups
| Phase | Contents | Time (minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| Moderator welcome | Welcome. Explanation of study aims, process of the session and rules | 5–10 |
| Opening question | Participants were asked about their experience with patients with delirium: Could you tell me your experience with patients who have had delirium? | 10–20 |
| Introductory and transition questions | The question was centred on aspects of delirium prevention and management How was delirium identified? What prevention activities were you performing? What activities (treatment, care) were performed for the management of delirium? | 10–30 |
| Key questions | Questions were posed once more on the basis of prior responses of participants in order to go into greater depth regarding areas such as: doctor–nurse relations: Do you think the relations among different professionals may influence the prevention and management of delirium? Protocol development in the ICU: What is your experience with protocols in the ICU? How are these developed? Patient safety: What is your experience regarding delirium and patient safety? How does your intervention contribute towards maintaining patient safety? | 20–40 |
| Closing remarks | The moderator performed a brief summary of the contents covered. The participants confirmed whether the summary was correct and were given the opportunity to add to the same | 10–15 |
ICU, intensive care unit.