Family Presence on Rounds

Abstract

Family-centered care has become the new trend in the health care field that involves honoring the patient and families' perspectives and choices and supporting them in participating in care and decision making at whatever level they choose. Family presence on rounds is one of the guidelines instituted for evidence-based best practices for support of family in the delivery of patient-centered care in the intensive care unit (ICU) but identified as the least studied among all the other aspects of family-centered care in the ICU. From 1988 to 2010, only 1 research study on family presence was conducted in an adult ICU. The purpose of this article was to review research studies related to family presence on medical rounds; reviews that focus on both adults and pediatric patients in the critical and noncritical care settings are also included.

Factors affecting stress experienced by surrogate decision makers for critically ill patients: Implications for nursing practice

“…Including families in physician rounds and establishing multi-disciplinary team conferences that include family members are practices employed by a growing number of critical care programs (Cypress, 2011; Cypress, 2012). However, there are few models that employ systematic and ongoing assessment of specific SDM needs, sources of anxiety and internal or social assets SDMs may already have in place that could serve to buffer the impact of the stress of care-giving and decision-making.…”

Family-Centered Care for Hospitalized Children: Concept Analysis

“…Empowerment and reinforcement 4,5,15,17,21,22 Obstacle High expectation of family 9,10,13 Negative opinion of medical staff 9,10,13,20 Strategy Leadership 14 Participation of family 17,19 Continuing support from staff 14,17,19,22 Communication Description Improving communication 3,10,15,18 Consideration for family 10,18,21 Sharing care plan 3,15,21 Obstacle Language barrier 4,7,11,15,19 Poor understanding 10,11,15,17 Handing out bad news 9,12 Strategy Using easy words 4,6,15,22 Interpreter training 19 Mediative participation of nurse 1,16,25 Understanding of culture …”

Family-Centered Care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

“…2,3 During rounds, parents should be given the opportunity to ask questions, clarify information, and participate in decision making. Recent studies 16-24 exploring parents’ and health professionals’ perceptions, attitudes, and preferences regarding parental presence on rounds, and the impact of parental presence on parent and health professional satisfaction, patient privacy, resident teaching, nursing practice, and length of rounds are generally supportive.…”

“…16-24 Other benefits for parents include support of their parental role, increased capacity to advocate for their child and participate in clinical decisions, increased transparency and trust of health professionals, and increased feelings of respect. Attending physicians have an increased opportunity to educate parents, role model communication skills to residents, and observe resident competencies.…”