Sedation is commonly used in critically ill patients to facilitate procedures and care as well as provide comfort but can carry risks such as delirium and prolonged mechanical ventilation. Although current guidelines advocate for light sedation, sedation practices are influenced by clinicians’ subjective interpretations. Patients and families may experience distress and unmet needs, and little is known about their perspectives and experiences in the context of contemporary light sedation practices.

This study aimed to understand the perceptions and experiences of both patient and family members in the intensive care unit (ICU) of current sedation practices.

Canadian, closed, mixed ICU setting.

Critically ill adult patients and adult family members.

Patients and family members were interviewed, using a semi-structured interview questionnaire, and Braun and Clarke inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes and subthemes in the data.

We conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 family members and 10 patients. Family members and patients reported that sedation was needed for patient comfort. Family members also described the need for sedation for patient and staff safety, as well as their own comfort. While both groups described sedation as necessary for enduring the medical procedures in the ICU, both groups reported concerns of sedation use, including negative physiological and cognitive patient outcomes. Patients and family members also recommended strategies for improving how sedation use is communicated in the ICU.

Perceptions and experiences of patient and families with sedation care practices in the ICU were multifaceted with both positive and negative outcomes reported including psychological and emotional concerns with sedation use. Key recommendations were provided for improving sedation practices with families emphasising the need for family-centred care and patients highlighting the need for self-determination.

The use of digitally enabled technology is considered a promising platform to prevent morbidity and enhance youth mental health as youth are growing up in the digital world and accessing the Internet at increasingly younger age. This scoping review will identify, describe and categorise the models, frameworks and strategies that have been used to study the implementation of digital mental health interventions targeted at youth aged 15–34 years.

We will conduct a scoping review following the Arksey-O’Malley five-stage scoping review method and the Scoping Review Methods Manual by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Implementation methods will be operationalised according to pre-established aims: (1) process models that describe or guide the implementation process; (2) evaluation frameworks evaluating or measuring the success of implementation; and (3) implementation strategies used in isolation or combination in implementation research and practice. Primary research studies in all languages will be identified in CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, ERIC, Education Research Complete, MEDLINE and APA PsycINFO on 6 January 2025. Two reviewers will calibrate screening criteria and the data charting form and will independently screen records and abstract data. We will use the Evidence Standards Framework for Digital Health Technologies by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to classify digital interventions based on functions, and a pre-established working taxonomy to synthesise conceptually distinct implementation outcomes. Convergent integrated data synthesis will be performed.

Ethical approval is not applicable as this scoping review will be conducted only on data presented in the published literature. Findings will be published and directly infused into our multidisciplinary team of academic researchers, youth partners, health professionals and knowledge users (healthcare and non-governmental organisation decision makers) to co-design and pilot test a digital psychoeducational health intervention to engage, educate and empower youth to be informed stewards of their mental health.