Family experiences and perceptions of intensive care unit care and communication during the COVID-19 pandemic.
R Digby, E Manias, K J Haines and 3 others
PMID 35501199WHAT IT FOUND
Families of ICU patients described visiting restrictions as distressing and communication as inconsistent.
They wanted nurses to call proactively and rules to be flexible. This reports experiences, not tested changes.
Key findings
01Twenty family members of ICU patients described three major themes: inflexible visiting rules, family experiences of communication, and care and support.
02Visiting was counted from hospital entry screening, leaving 30–40 min at the bedside, and some families felt cheated of time.
03Communication with nurses was generally more consistent than with doctors, and families wanted proactive calls each shift even without major changes.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Twenty family members from one Melbourne ICU, so the themes may not transfer to other units or countries. Only family members who could converse in English were included, and families of patients who were dying were not approached. The study reports family perceptions only; it did not measure patient outcomes, clinician perspectives, or whether proposed changes improve experience or safety. Interview transcripts were not returned to participants for review.
Declared interests
The authors declare no known competing financial interests or personal relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that flexible visiting or nurse calls improve anxiety or outcomes. This study describes family experiences and suggestions during restrictions; it did not test whether changing communication or visiting rules improves patient or family outcomes.