Relatives' experiences of the hospitalisation of older people with COVID-19: A qualitative interview study.
Eva Hoffmann, Kirsten Specht, Mette Elkjaer and 2 others
PMID 35156293WHAT IT FOUND
Relatives of older people hospitalised with COVID-19 felt anxious and uncertain when visitor rules kept them away.
They said clear, regular contact with staff helped them trust the care, while inconsistent or missing information made them feel excluded and suspicious.
Key findings
01Relatives described the hospital stay as marked by uncertainty, worry and frustration, including fear that the older person might die alone without loved ones present.
02When relatives felt well informed, their sense of safety and trust increased; unclear, missing or incorrect information increased uncertainty, frustration and distrust.
03Visitor restrictions weakened relatives' sense of their role, and some feared that asking too many questions could harm the older person's care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a qualitative study of relatives' experiences, not a test of whether a communication approach works. Participants were relatives who spoke Danish and were recruited from three hospitals in Denmark, so findings may not apply to other settings or languages. Most participants were women (14 of 18), and the sample included only one husband and one girlfriend, so some family roles were represented by very few people. Six of 24 invited relatives withdrew before interview, and some interviews were very short when relatives had little contact with staff. Some relatives were unable to verbalise their thoughts and feelings, or the interviews were disrupted because they had to care for the older person during the call. Interviews happened when the pandemic was under control in Denmark, so staff workload may have been lower than during peak pressure. The study did not include the older patients' own views.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that regular phone contact or clearer information will improve patient outcomes or reduce family distress. This study reports relatives' experiences and does not test any communication intervention.