Association between psychosocial factors and satisfaction with communication in family members of intensive care unit patients during COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory cross-sectional study.
Cristobal Padilla Fortunatti, Noelia Rojas Silva, Yasna Palmeiro Silva and 4 others
PMID 36706497WHAT IT FOUND
More frequent calls, higher social support, and lower stress linked to better family satisfaction with ICU communication.
College-educated families reported lower satisfaction. The number of calls mattered, not the length. This helps staff identify families needing tailored communication approaches.
Key findings
01Satisfaction with communication was positively associated with the number of calls with ICU staff and perceived social support, and negatively associated with perceived stress and having a college education.
02The number of phone calls, but not the length of calls, was significantly associated with satisfaction with communication.
03Psychosocial factors including educational level, perceived stress, and perceived social support may help identify family members in need of tailored communication approaches.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional and single-centre, limiting external validity. The sample size was small (42 participants) and the response rate was low (21.1%), which limits generalizability. Patient-related variables were excluded from the beta regression model. The study did not differentiate the source of the calls (e.g., whether they were made by a nurse or a physician). The cross-sectional design prevents establishing temporal precedence between satisfaction with communication and perceived stress.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Research and Doctorate Directorate of the School of Nursing of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. The authors declared no competing financial interests or personal relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that increasing the length of family-ICU staff calls will improve satisfaction. The study found that the number of calls, not their length, was associated with higher satisfaction. Additionally, do not interpret the negative association with college education as a flaw in the families' understanding; the authors suggest it may reflect higher expectations or demands for information.