Family members' satisfaction with care and decision-making in intensive care units and post-stay follow-up needs-a cross-sectional survey study.
Gro Frivold, Åshild Slettebø, Daren K Heyland and 1 others
PMID 29344389WHAT IT FOUND
Family members rated ICU care at 73/100 and decision-making at 64.8/100.
Most reported little follow-up need, but gender and longer ICU stay predicted greater need.
Key findings
01Family members rated satisfaction with ICU care at 73 of 100 and satisfaction with decision-making at 64.8 of 100.
0296 participants, 83% of the sample, reported no or very limited follow-up needs.
03Longer ICU stay and family-member gender predicted greater follow-up needs.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The response rate was low, and no demographic data were collected for non-participants. Participants were asked months after the ICU stay, so recall bias and later life circumstances could affect satisfaction reports. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that follow-up needs cause or result from satisfaction. The satisfaction scale was newly translated into Norwegian and had not been translated into Norwegian before this survey.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that ICU follow-up improves family outcomes or that satisfaction scores show the intervention works. This survey measured reported satisfaction and needs after the stay, not the effect of a follow-up programme.