The experiences of patients and their families of visiting whilst in an intensive care unit – A hermeneutic interview study

Abstract

SummaryAim: The aim of this study was to interpret and understand the meanings of the lived experiences of visiting of patients in an ICU and their families. Method: The research design was hermeneutic, based on interviews. This study includes 12 interviews with seven patients and five relatives who had been in an ICU. The interview text was interpreted in a Gadamerian manner as different plays with actors and plots. Findings: Patients' narratives could be divided into two parts; recall of real life and unreal life experiences, the unreal being more common. Relatives' narratives are described as being on stage and being backstage, i.e. in the room with the patient and outside it. Conclusion: The final interpretation elucidated the experience of visiting as the sudden shift between being present in real life vs. being present in the real life of unreality. It was a process whereby the patient and the family build a new understanding of life that creates a new form of interplay within the family. The pre-critical illness life is no longer there -a new life has begun. To support patients and their families in this process of change a family-centred care perspective is necessary.

Traditional/Restrictive vs Patient-Centered Intensive Care Unit Visitation: Perceptions of Patients' Family Members, Physicians, and Nurses

“…1,2 Dissatisfaction with this traditional visitation paradigm has pushed families to become more involved in their loved one's care with a greater focus on the transparency of health-care quality. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] This focus is evidenced by calls to action for hospitals to examine their current intensive care unit (ICU) visitation practices [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] and to try entirely open, nonrestrictive ICU visiting, labeling any visiting restrictions as a relic, unnecessary, and potentially harmful to the patient's safety. 13,14 and emotional support to their loved one (Table 1).…”

Involving relatives in ICU patient care: critical care nursing challenges

“…, McKiernan & McCarthy , Cypress , Eriksson et al . ), the needs of relatives in the ICU environment (Verhaeghe et al . , El‐Masri & Fox‐Wasylyshyn , Blanchard & Alavi , Al‐Mutair et al .…”

Participation and support in intensive care as experienced by close relatives of patients—A phenomenological study

“…Hupcey (2000) has described the overarching need of ICU patients to feel safe and this feeling of safety is influenced by family and nurses on the ICU. For this reason, the perspectives of both patients and their families are important during the time on the ICU (Eriksson et al, 2011) and the presence of family members is reported to be important in the support of the critically ill patient (Bergbom and Askwall, 2000;Hupcey, 2001;Engström and Söderberg, 2004;McKiernan and McCarthy, 2010). Family-centred care has been highlighted in recent decades and families are being offered a more active role in the care in the ICU.…”