Coping in times of disruption and deprivation-Experiences of family members during COVID-19 patients' critical illness: A qualitative study.
Helene Berntzen, Ranveig Lind, Hanne Alfheim and 1 others
PMID 37005711WHAT IT FOUND
Relatives of ICU patients described a frightening double burden: they feared catching COVID while unable to see or support their loved one.
Information from ICU nurses and doctors was haphazard, leaving them feeling insignificant until the patient returned home needing care.
Key findings
01Visiting restrictions left relatives unable to see their critically ill family member and feeling distant and insignificant.
02Information from ICU nurses and doctors was inconsistent and arbitrary, with unclear responsibility.
03After discharge, relatives were unprepared for ongoing care needs and received little follow-up or discharge preparation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small and purposive. It included only relatives of patients who survived the ICU stay, so experiences of families of patients who died were not represented. Interviews happened months after discharge, so recall may have faded. The interviewer worked part-time at the treating unit, which may have made participants reluctant to criticise care. The study was in Norway, during COVID-19 visiting restrictions.
Declared interests
Departmental funding only. All authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that families accepted the restrictions because they were well supported. They reported distress and haphazard information, and the study did not test whether any communication method improves outcomes.