Peer support is helping people after intensive care treatment
We’ve been working with patient group facilitators to explore a peer support approach to recovery for people leaving intensive care.
ICU Steps is an organisation supporting people who have been patients in Intensive Care Units. They invited us to run a series of online sessions with their patient group facilitators. They wanted to build on the facilitators knowledge of peer support. To develop their skills and confidence in this approach. Ultimately to explore different ways to ensure everyone attending the groups has a peer led , positive and supportive experience.
Learning by experiencing
Working with the facilitators we identified key learning themes. This allowed us to develop a personalised course, of four online sessions, with a focus on learning by experiencing. The Peer Recovery Hub provided us with resources to develop a course that was tailored to the group’s needs. At the end of the course we brought the participants together at a hybrid event in Glasgow. This event provided the chance to celebrate our time together, share stories and look to the future.
We’ve been ‘doing’ peer support for 7 years, but have learned so, so much from your excellent online resources and talented facilitators. Excited to take our learning forward!
Course participant
Discovering and sharing together
Physical recovery when leaving intensive care is only one part of the equation. People often need to adjust to the life changes that come alongside this traumatic experience. The facilitator group highlighted that emotional health was a key factor. They discussed that it is something health services were not always equipped to support people with. A peer support approach was identified as a great way to fill that gap.
We introduced the group to CHIME (Connections, Hope, Identity, Meaning and Empowerment). The facilitators really related to this recovery framework. It provided a shift of focus from ‘what has happened to me’ to ‘what helped?’. Group members shared insights into their resilience and factors which helped. This includes the people who love and support them. The care and treatment they receive and the support from other people in the patient groups. People taking part told us they didn’t just want to survive post intensive care. They wanted to thrive!
The future is peer
As part of the course the participants learned approaches and tools to build on what they already do. This included the importance of developing and using a Group Agreement to create an empowering and safe space for everyone. Being aware of listening. Not jumping in to rescue or problem solve as often people need to be heard and their experiences validated. Throughout the course participants explored what it looks like to use their experiences to help others.
First course I have ever been on that I am watching the clock because I don’t want it to finish.
Course participant
In just that first week, I joined as someone who felt inadequate and uneducated, and by the end of that session, I felt uplifted and grateful.
Course participant
A core element throughout the course was emphasising how important it is to really connect with someone who has been through something similar and ‘gets it’! That we are relational beings and healing comes through community. Through the insight and understanding we gain through experiencing something.
The group has committed to meet as a peer network. They want to continue to connect, learn and share experiences. A new peer support group is about to start in Fife. The facilitators are really looking forward to stepping into the roles with their new learning. They spoke about implementing their new skills in other areas of their life too. In different support groups and even in the workplace.
We were delighted to have the chance to explore peer support with this group of fabulous people. Pam, Pauline, Kathleen, Jackie, Mike, Tim, Marguerite, Maggie and George, we wish you all the best for the future.
- if you are in Scotland and looking to develop peer support in your organisation or service?
