Nursing strategies to support family members of ICU patients at high risk of dying

Abstract

Objectives: To explore how family members of ICU patients at high risk of dying respond to nursing communication strategies. Background: Family members of ICU patients may face difficult decisions. Nurses are in a position to provide support. Evidence of specific strategies that nurses use to support decision-making and how family members respond to these strategies is lacking. Methods: This is a prospective, qualitative descriptive study involving the family members of ICU patients identified as being at high risk of dying. Results: Family members described five nursing approaches: Demonstrating concern, building rapport, demonstrating professionalism, providing factual information, and supporting decision-making. This study provides evidence that when using these approaches, nurses helped family members to cope; to have hope, confidence, and trust; to prepare for and accept impending death; and to make decisions. Conclusion: Knowledge lays a foundation for interventions targeting the areas important to family members and most likely to improve their ability to make decisions and their well-being.

Factors influencing Intensive Care Units nurses in end-of-life decisions

“…Although, it has been previously indicated in the literature that nurses should be involved, but indirectly, in endof-life situations, the recent literature indicates that nurses are more engaged with the role of advocating in favor of the patient and family in the end-of-life process. Nurses interpret and explain to the family the prognosis of the patient and what is happening to him/her; accordingly, the family is happier and becomes able to advance in their acceptance and decision-making (18) . However, our study shows that family feel lack of openness and precise and clear dialogue in the relationship with nurses.…”

Anxiety, depression, and satisfaction in close relatives of patients in an open visiting policy intensive care unit in Brazil

“…The median HADS global score was 11 (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18) points, and 159 family members (34%) were classified with symptoms of anxiety, 82 (17%) had symptoms of depression, and 64 (14%) had both ( Table 2).…”

“…Patient-centered care and family-centered care have been increasingly encouraged to improve the quality of care and the satisfaction of patients and their families. There are many studies suggesting interventions to better communication by specifics strategies to decrease stress in family members and to improve family satisfaction [7][8][9][10][11]17]. In addition, others efforts intended to make the family comfortable in the ICU, such as the architectural design and visiting hour policies have been carried out [13][14][15][16].…”

Caring for the dying patient in the ICU – The past, the present and the future

“…Altogether, findings from qualitative research demonstrate that close relatives mostly experience that nurses provide holistic and compassionate EOL care in the ICU (Adams et al, 2014;Fridh et al, 2009a). However, an important question still remains and that is to show what significance ICU nurses have on EOL care quality.…”