Visiting Preferences of Patients in the Intensive Care Unit and in a Complex Care Medical Unit

2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen E. Gonzalez ◽  
Diane L. Carroll ◽  
Jeanne S. Elliott ◽  
Patricia A. Fitzgerald ◽  
Heather J. Vallent
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Complex Care ◽  
Medical Unit ◽  
Healthcare Environment ◽  
Perceived Satisfaction

• Background Within the challenging healthcare environment are nurses, patients, and patients’ families. Families want proximity to their loved ones, but the benefits of such proximity depend on patients’ conditions and family-patient dynamics. • Objectives To describe patients’ preferences for family visiting in an intensive care unit and a complex care medical unit. • Methods Sixty-two patients participated in a structured interview that assessed patients’ preferences for visiting, stressors and benefits of visiting, and patients’ perceived satisfaction with hospital guidelines for visiting. • Results Patients in both units rated visiting as a nonstressful experience because visitors offered moderate levels of reassurance, comfort, and calming. Patients in the intensive care unit worried more about their families than did patients in the complex care medical unit but valued the fact that visitors could interpret information for the patients while providing information to assist the nurse in understanding the patients. Patients in the intensive care unit were more satisfied with visiting practices than were patients in the complex care medical unit, although both groups preferred visits of 35 to 55 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day, and with usually no more than 3 visitors. • Conclusions These data provide the input of patients in the ongoing discussion of visiting practices in both intensive care units and complex care medical units. Patients were very satisfied with a visiting guideline that is flexible enough to meet their needs and those of their family members.

Family-Centered Communication and Acute Stress in Israeli Intensive Care Units

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 274-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Freda DeKeyser Ganz ◽  
Gilat Yihye ◽  
Nicole Beckman
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Perceived Stress Scale ◽  
Stress Scale ◽  
Family Centered

Background Intensive care unit stays can be stressful for patients’ family members. Family-centered communication has 6 components: fostering relationships, exchanging information, responding to emotions, managing uncertainty, making decisions, and enabling patient self-management. Whether these communication components decrease family members’ stress is unknown. Objective To describe levels of family-centered communication and associations with acute stress while patients are in the intensive care unit. Methods A convenience sample of 130 family members of patients in 2 intensive care units in a Jerusalem, Israel, tertiary medical center received a family-centered communication questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale, and a personal characteristics questionnaire. Results Most respondents were women (n = 79, 60.8%), children of the patient (n = 67, 51.9%), and familiar with the patient’s diagnosis (n = 111, 85.4%). Mean (SD) participant age was 45.7 (13.6) years. Most considered the patient medically stable (n = 75, 57.7%). Mean (SD) intensive care unit stay was 7.45 (5.8) days. Mean (SD) total and item scores for family-centered communication were 98.75 (18.21) and 3.80 (0.70), respectively; for the Perceived Stress Scale, 19.63 (5.92) and 1.96 (0.59), respectively. Relationship building (r = −0.31, P = .002), participation in care management (r = −0.32, P = .001), and emotional support (r = −0.29, P = .003), and were significantly related to stress. Conclusions Stress levels were mild to moderate and communication scores were moderate to high. Better nurse communication with family members was associated with decreased acute stress, irrespective of personal characteristics or perceptions of the patient’s medical status.

Communication in the process of humanization of the assistance at intensive care unit: experience of relatives and cares

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 1587
Author(s):  
Natália Celião Leite ◽  
Josilene De Melo Buriti Vasconcelos ◽  
Wilma Dias de Fontes
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Icu Patients ◽  
Efficient System ◽  
The Family ◽  
Terapia Intensiva ◽  
Nursing Professionals

ABSTRACTObjectives: to report the experience of the nursing team and family members of ICU patients as regards communication; to learn the meaning they attribute to the communication process. Methodology: a quantitative and qualitative exploratory study carried out at the Intensive Care Unit of the school hospital. Consisting of 15 family members and 15 nursing professionals who happened to be available there during the data collection, the sample resulted from semi-structured interview guidance. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, taking into account the absolute and percentage numbers, and the technique of the Collective Subject Discourse, with presentation throughout graph, table and charts. Results: the data showed gaps in the communication, which are inherent to some professionals who neither practice nor value the communication process with the family, mainly as regards the need to prepare them for the ICU environment and the real conditions of their family members. Conclusion: the need to adopt an efficient system of communication with relatives of ICU patients is widely known. Thus, the nurse will be adopting new ways of caring, which include valuing the family members as integrating part of the nursing care, with view to humanizing the assistance. Descriptors: communication; humanization of the assistance; intensive care unit. RESUMOObjetivos: relatar a experiência da equipe de enfermagem e de familiares de pacientes internados em uma UTI, na perspectiva da comunicação; apreender o significado por eles atribuído ao processo de comunicação. Métodologia: estudo exploratório, quantiqualitativo, realizado na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva de hospital escola. A amostra foi formada por 15 familiares e 15 profissionais de enfermagem que se encontravam no local, por ocasião da coleta de dados, a qual ocorreu por meio de um roteiro de entrevista semi-estruturado. Os dados foram analisados por meio da estatística descritiva, levando-se em conta os números absolutos e percentuais, e da técnica do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo, com apresentação em gráfico, tabela e quadros. Resultados: os dados mostram lacunas na comunicação, as quais são inerentes a alguns profissionais que não praticam e não valorizam o processo de comunicação com a família, principalmente no que diz respeito à necessidade de prepará-los para compreender o ambiente da UTI e as reais condições de seus familiares. Conclusão: é notória a necessidade de se adotar um sistema eficaz de comunicação com os familiares de pacientes internados na UTI. Assim, o enfermeiro estará adotando novas formas de cuidar, que incluem a valorização dos familiares como parte integrante do cuidado de enfermagem na perspectiva da humanização da assistência. Descritores: comunicação; humanização da assistência; unidade de terapia intensiva.RESUMENObjetivos: relatar la experiencia del equipo de enfermería y parientes de pacientes de UTI, en cuanto a la comunicación; aprender el significado que ellos atribuyen al proceso de comunicación. Metodología: estudio exploratorio, cuantitativo y cualitativo, realizado en la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva del hospital escuela. Formada por 15 parientes y 15 profesionales de enfermería que se encontraban disponibles en el sitio durante el recogimiento de los datos, la muestra resultó de la rutina de una entrevista semi-estructurada. Los datos fueron analizados a través de la estadística descriptiva, llevándose en cuenta los números absolutos y porcentajes, la técnica del Discurso del Sujeto Colectivo, con presentación en gráfico, tabla y cuadros. Resultado: los datos enseñan brechas en la comunicación, las cuales son propias de algunos profesionales que no practican y no valoran el proceso de comunicación con la familia, principalmente en cuanto a la necesidad de les preparar a entender el ambiente de la UTI y las reales condiciones de sus parientes. Conclusión: es notoria la necesidad de adoptarse un sistema de comunicación eficiente con los parientes de pacientes de UTI. Así, el enfermero estará adoptando nuevas maneras de cuidar, las cuales incluyen la valoración de los parientes como parte del cuidado de enfermero, con vista a la humanización de la asistencia. Descriptores: comunicación; humanización de la asistencia; unidad de terapia intensiva. 

Half the family members of intensive care unit patients do not want to share in the decision-making process: A study in 78 French intensive care units*

2004 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 1832-1838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Élie Azoulay ◽  
Frédéric Pochard ◽  
Sylvie Chevret ◽  
Christophe Adrie ◽  
Djilali Annane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
The Family

A Whirlpool of Stress in Families of Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Qualitative Multicenter Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 55-64
Author(s):  
Bahman Aghaie ◽  
Monireh Anoosheh ◽  
Mahshid Foroughan ◽  
Esa Mohammadi ◽  
Anoshirvan Kazemnejad
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Family Care ◽  
Critical Care Nurses ◽  
Private Hospitals ◽  
Negative Beliefs ◽  
Semistructured Interviews

Background Family members of patients admitted to the intensive care unit must tolerate high levels of stress, making them emotionally and physically vulnerable. However, little is known about the kinds of stress family members may experience. Objective To explore perceived stress in the families of patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Methods This qualitative content analysis study involved 23 family members of patients admitted to intensive care units. Participants were drawn from family members of patients hospitalized in intensive care units of 3 public and 2 private hospitals. Data were collected through semistructured interviews. Results Three themes emerged from the data: “distrust,” “repeated stress exposure,” and “a whirlpool of persistent negative emotional-physical state.” The first theme had 2 categories: “fearful mindset” and “negative beliefs about professional caregivers.” The second theme also had 2 categories: “fear of the future” and “sustained accumulation of tensions.” The third theme had 3 categories: “impaired mental health,” “impaired physical health,” and “impaired family function.” Conclusions The findings of this study may help critical care nurses better understand the nature and sources of family stresses during a patient’s intensive care unit stay. Supervisory nurses should alert their staff to these issues so that family care programs can address them, thereby reducing family members’ risk of posttraumatic stress disorder and post–intensive care syndrome-family.

Nursing Interventions to Reduce Stress in Families of Critical Care Patients: An Integrative Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-44
Author(s):  
Valérie Lebel ◽  
Sylvie Charette
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Nursing Interventions ◽  
And Behavior

Background Having a family member admitted to an intensive care unit is a stressful experience that may lead to psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Objective To better understand the phenomenon of stress experienced by families of intensive care unit patients and identify nursing interventions that may help reduce it. Methods An integrative literature review was performed to identify principal stressors for families of patients receiving care in neonatal, pediatric, and adult intensive care units and recommended nursing interventions. Results The principal stressors in the 3 types of intensive care units were change in parental role or family dynamics, appearance and behavior of the patient, the care setting, and communication with the health care staff. Nursing interventions should focus on valuing the role of family members in patient care, improving communication, and providing accurate information. Clinical Relevance Family members of intensive care patients will benefit from nursing interventions that adequately acknowledge and address the stress they experience. Conclusion Nurses play a crucial role in helping to reduce the stress experienced by family members of intensive care unit patients.

Parameters of bed occupancy of intensive care units in Hungary

2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (24) ◽  
pp. 946-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miklós Gresz
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Emergency Care ◽  
Present Author ◽  
Bed Occupancy ◽  
National Network ◽  
Bed Capacity

According to the Semmelweis Plan for Saving Health Care, ”the capacity of the national network of intensive care units in Hungary is one but not the only bottleneck of emergency care at present”. Author shows on the basis of data reported to the health insurance that not on a single calendar day more than 75% of beds in intensive care units were occupied. There were about 15 to 20 thousand sick days which could be considered unnecessary because patients occupying these beds were discharged to their homes directly from the intensive care unit. The data indicate that on the whole bed capacity is not low, only in some institutions insufficient. Thus, in order to improve emergency care in Hungary, the rearrangement of existing beds, rather than an increase of bed capacity is needed. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 946–950.

scholarly journals Families' perception, knowledge, and psychological stressors associated with transition of care from the intensive care unit

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-56
Author(s):  
Gustavo Ferrer ◽  
Chi Chan Lee ◽  
Monica Egozcue ◽  
Hector Vazquez ◽  
Melissa Elizee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Expected Improvement ◽  
Transition Of Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Icu Discharge ◽  
Family Perceptions

Background: During the process of transition of care from the intensive care setting, clarity, and understanding are vital to a patient's outcome. A successful transition of care requires collaboration between health-care providers and the patient's family. The objective of this project was to assess the quality of continuity of care with regard to family perceptions, education provided, and psychological stress during the process. Methods: A prospective study conducted in a long-term acute care (LTAC) facility. On admission, family members of individuals admitted to the LTAC were asked to fill out a 15-item questionnaire with regard to their experiences from preceding intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization. The setting was an LTAC facility. Patients were admitted to an LTAC after ICU admission. Results: Seventy-six participants completed the questionnaire: 38% expected a complete recovery, 61% expected improvement with disabilities, and 1.3% expected no recovery. With regard to the length of stay in the LTAC, 11% expected < 1 week, 26% expected 1 to 2 weeks, 21% expected 3 to 4 weeks, and 42% were not sure. Before ICU discharge, 33% of the participants expected the transfer to the LTAC. Also, 72% did not report a satisfactory level of knowledge regarding their family's clinical condition or medical services required; 21% did not receive help from family members; and 50% reported anxiety, 20% reported depression, and 29% reported insomnia. Conclusion: Families' perception of patients' prognosis and disposition can be different from what was communicated by the physician. Families' anxiety and emotional stress may precipitate this discrepancy. The establishment of optimal projects to eliminate communication barriers and educate family members will undoubtedly improve the quality of transition of care from the ICU.

scholarly journals Continuous EEG Monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit

1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (S1) ◽  
pp. S12-S15 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Kay
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Eeg Monitoring ◽  
General Icus ◽  
Continuous Eeg ◽  
Nonconvulsive Seizures ◽  
Continuous Eeg Monitoring ◽  
Clinical Problems

AbstractBackground:Electroencephalography (EEG) is playing an increasingly important role in the management of comatose patients in the intensive care unit.Methods:The techniques of EEG monitoring are reviewed. Initially, standard, discontinuous recordings were performed in intensive care units (ICUs). Later, continuous displays of “raw EEG” (CEEG) were used. More recently, the addition of quantitative techniques allowed for more effective reading.Results and Conclusions:Applications of continuous EEG to clinical problems are discussed. The most useful role of CEEG appears to be the detection and management of nonconvulsive seizures. There is a need for controlled studies to assess the role for CEEG in neuro-ICUs and general ICUs.

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