Surviving critical illness: a case study in ambiguity.

Social workers address issues of critical illness and end of life in multiple settings. Due to advances in medical technology, an increasing number of patients survive severe critical illnesses. Little is known about the psychological dynamics of these patients who recover from critical illness and move into the liminal space between life and death. In this article the author analyzes the psychological ambiguities present during recovery from critical illness. Using a case study, connections will be made between surviving critical illness and the theoretical constructs of liminality, illness narratives, ambiguous dying, and ambiguous loss. Practice applications for social workers are addressed.