Family member perspectives on intensive care unit in-person visiting restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.
Linda Jungestrand, Emma Holm, Louise Rose and 2 others
PMID 36470700WHAT IT FOUND
ICU families said daily nurse phone updates and a named contact person helped them feel informed, while restrictions, PPE and window visits made closeness and end-of-life goodbye feel impossible.
Key findings
01Families found daily phone updates from ICU nurses helpful, and valued having a key ICU contact person.
02Being unable to visit, or visiting only through PPE or a window, was distressing and prevented physical closeness.
03Families described feeling connected and involved when staff relayed greetings, asked about the patient, and supported memory or reorientation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Different visiting routines between the hospitals and changing pandemic conditions may have shaped experiences. No patient condition data were collected, so family reports could not be checked against clinical status. Telephone interviews may have missed facial expressions and body language. The sample was a convenience sample of Swedish family members who could speak Swedish or English.
Declared interests
The authors declare no competing financial interests or personal relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that phone or video contact is enough to replace ICU bedside visits. Participants said these aids helped but could not provide physical closeness, and the study reports family experiences rather than patient outcomes.