Critically Ill Patients: Family Experiences of Interfacility Transfers From Rural to Urban Centers and Impact on Family Relationships.
Margie Burns, Jill Bally, Meridith Burles and 1 others
PMID 36172740WHAT IT FOUND
Family members of rural patients transferred to urban critical care units found the hours without contact during ambulance transport most stressful.
Families said being welcomed and receiving up-to-date information helped them cope with fear and isolation.
Key findings
01The transfer window lasted between 3 and 4 hours and was described as the hardest part of the event to endure.
02Many family members avoided asking nurses for updates because they did not want to bother them.
03Being welcomed into the critical care area and receiving up-to-date information was comforting, and trust in the team made separations easier to endure.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 11 family members were interviewed, and just two were men, so the themes may not reflect all family experiences. No participant's relative died, so the study says nothing about families facing death after a transfer. It was conducted in one region of Atlantic Canada, partly during COVID-19, so transfer distance, travel rules, and supports may differ elsewhere. One participant did not check their individual narrative, and only two participants checked the final overarching narrative. The analysis includes the researchers' interpretation, and the first author was an intensive care nurse, which may shape the themes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat this as proof that giving families updates reduces distress. It reports 11 family members' lived experiences and does not test any communication intervention.