The Development, Acceptability and Suitability of an Information and Well-Being Booklet for Family Members of Intensive Care Unit Patients.
Lila Simpson, Malaika Subhani, Shamini Satkunam and 2 others
PMID 42477858WHAT IT FOUND
Five ICU family members found a new booklet helpful for explaining equipment, delirium, ward moves and home recovery.
They valued simple language, permission to ask questions and reassurance that nurses could explain things.
Key findings
01The booklet was valued as a structured resource that helped families understand and orient themselves in the ICU environment.
02Families described nurses as trusted sources of explanation and wanted the booklet to support communication with staff.
03Participants wanted the booklet to prepare them for transfer to ward and home and to acknowledge caregiver strain and self-care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only five family members took part, and most were White British and English-speaking, so the findings may not apply to families from other backgrounds or languages. Participants were family members of patients already discharged from ICU, so families still in the acute ICU period were not represented. The study evaluated perceptions of a booklet, not whether it improved anxiety, depression, PTSD, information needs or other outcomes. The booklet was developed by clinicians who also conducted and analysed the study, which may have influenced the themes. It was a service evaluation rather than a formal research ethics study, and the sample size was guided by evaluative aims rather than saturation.
Declared interests
The authors report no funding and declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the booklet improves anxiety, depression or family outcomes. Five relatives rated its usefulness and accessibility; the study did not test effects, and the sample was small and mostly White British.