scholarly journals Family members’ involvement in the care of critically ill patients in two intensive care units in an acute hospital in Bahrain: The experiences and perspectives of family members’ and nurses’ - A qualitative study

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eman Ebrahim Fateel ◽  
Catherine Sarah O'Neill
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-13
Author(s):  
Sabita Pandey ◽  
Roshanee Shrestha ◽  
Narayani Paudel

Background: Critical ill patients are not able to decide about their treatment and their relatives usually asked for the treatment decisions on behalf of the patient. At the time of critical illness, all family members or relatives experience crises and may be exhausted. Recognizing and addressing the relative’s needs is a very important aspect of holistic health care to critically ill patients. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to make a comparison between the nurses’ and relatives’ perceptions regarding the needs of critically ill patients’ family members’ in the Nepalese context. A convenient sample of 50 nurses and 50 relatives who meet the inclusion criteria were selected and interviewed by using a structured questionnaire in the different intensive care units of Kathmandu Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal during the period of January to April 2018. The data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics in the statistical package for social sciences version 16. Results: The majority, (86%) of the relatives ranked “to know specific facts concerning the patient’s progress and treatment” as the topmost very important need, and 80% of the nurses’ ranked this need as a very important need. The majority of nurses (86%) ranked “to receive explanations about the environment of critical care unit for the first time” as a topmost very important need, whereas, only 54% of the relatives had ranked this need as very important to them. There was a statically significant positive correlation among some need statements between the two groups. Conclusion: There was a significant difference in the perception of some aspects of family needs by the nurses and relatives. Nurses’ mean score was lower than the relatives’ which can be a major source of disputes among nurses and relatives in the intensive care units. Keywords: Intensive Care Unit, critically ill patient, family needs, nurses’ perception and relatives, perception


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 550-556
Author(s):  
Minal Karavadra ◽  
Ricky Bell

The intensive care department may seem a long way from the GP's consulting room, but every year tens of thousands of critically ill patients are admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) across the UK. Patients are often left with long term sequelae that may require GP input. Physical weakness, psychiatric disturbance and cognitive decline are not uncommon after an illness that requires a stay in an ICU. These hinder a patient’s return to their previous level of function and impact caregivers after discharge. This article aims to highlight the chronic symptoms patients can acquire during ICU admission that may come to the attention of GPs for their advice and treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Mohamed E. Abdelgawad ◽  
Nadia T. Ahmed ◽  
Ahmed M. Elmenshawy

Background and objective: Electrolyte disturbances remain a common lifesaving issue in the intensive care units. They are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. They are mostly resulted secondary to critical illness itself or associated treatment modalities. Therefore, electrolytes repletion should be done effectively and timely. This could be ensured using nurse driven protocols rather than traditional methods of repletion. These protocols are nurse initiated and collaboratively developed. They have been shown to improve patient care outcomes through the provision of high quality care. They are increasingly being used in the critical care setting. Objective: Determine the effect of applying nurses driven electrolytes repletion protocol on electrolytes disturbance control among critically ill patients.Methods: Quasi experimental research design was used. Sixty two critically ill patients with electrolytes loss were enrolled in the study at Alexandria Main University Hospital intensive care units, Egypt. All episodes of electrolyte loss were evaluated. Repletion of electrolyte loss was done according to unit routine for the control group and nurses driven electrolytes repletion protocol for the study group. Episodes of electrolyte disturbances, adverse events and timing of repletion were evaluated.Results: Neurological disorders represent the most encountered diagnosis. The most common cause of electrolyte loss in was the use of diuretics. Furthermore, there was a highly statistical difference between the two groups as regard electrolytes levels, effectiveness and timing of replacement.Conclusions: Application of nurses driven electrolyte repletion protocol resulted in improvements in the effectiveness and timeliness of electrolyte replacement.


2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1527-1528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Zaragoza ◽  
Javier Pemán ◽  
Guillermo Quindós ◽  
Jose R. Iruretagoyena ◽  
María S. Cuétara ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The influence of kinetic patterns of Candida albicans germ tube antibodies (CAGTA) on mortality was analyzed in six intensive care units. Statistically significant lower mortality rates were found in patients with patterns of increasing CAGTA titers who had been treated with antifungal agents. Thus, antifungal treatment should be considered when CAGTA titers are increasing in critically ill patients.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 324-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daren K Heyland ◽  
Peter Dodek ◽  
Sangeeta Mehta ◽  
Deborah Cook ◽  
Allan Garland ◽  
...  

Background: Little is known about the perspectives and experiences of family members of very elderly patients who are admitted to the intensive care unit. Aim: To describe family members’ perspectives about care provided to very elderly critically ill patients. Design: Multicenter, prospective, cohort study. Participants and setting: In total, 535 family members of patients aged 80 years or older admitted to 22 intensive care units for more than 24 h. Results: Family members reported that the “patient be comfortable and suffer as little as possible” was their most important value and “the belief that life should be preserved at all costs” was their least important value considered in making treatment decisions. Most family members (57.9%) preferred that life support be used for their family member, whereas 24.1% preferred comfort measures only, and 14.4% were unsure of their treatment preferences. Only 57.3% reported that a doctor had talked to them about treatment options for the patient. Overall, 29.7% of patients received life-sustaining treatments for more than 7 days and 50.3% of these died in hospital. Families were most satisfied with the skill and competency of nurses and least satisfied with being included and supported in the decision-making process and with their sense of control over the patient’s care. Conclusion: There is incongruity between family values and preferences for end-of-life care and actual care received for very elderly patients who are admitted to the intensive care unit. Deficiencies in communication and decision-making may be associated with prolonged use of life-sustaining treatments in very elderly critically ill patients, many of whom ultimately die.


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