The family intensive care unit syndrome: A qualitative content analysis

Abstract

Background: Hospitalization of patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with a series of psychological problems for their family members called family intensive care unit syndrome (FICUS). Nonetheless, family members of patients in ICU often receive little attention from health care providers. Exploring family members' experiences of their patients' hospitalization in ICU helps health care providers focus more clearly on their problems.Aims and objectives: This study aimed to explore FICUS-related experiences among the family members of patients in ICU.Design: This was a qualitative content analysis study.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in 2019. Participants were 14 family members of patients in ICU who were purposively selected from three hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.Results: Participants' experiences of FICUS fell into four categories, that is, threat to psychological well-being (with four subcategories), threat to physical health (with three subcategories), threat to social health (with three subcategories), and change in spiritual orientation (with two subcategories).The 12 subcategories of these categories were emotional disturbances, hopelessness, changes in sleep pattern, mood changes, physical symptoms, aggravation of the existing illnesses, negligence towards personal health, alteration in social interactions, alteration in the burden of responsibility, alternation in the life process, resort to spiritual beliefs, and spiritual conflict, respectively.Conclusion: FICUS symptoms are not limited to psychological problems, rather they include a wide range of psychological, physical, social, and spiritual problems, which can affect the different aspects of family members' lives. Along with care delivery to patients in ICU, health care providers should provide care and support to patients' family members.

Real emotional experience of family members of patients transported within hospital in neurosurgical intensive care unit: A descriptive qualitative study

“…They are subjected to high levels of psychological stress due to adverse events during the IHT. As a result, many negative emotions are generated (Karlsson et al, 2020), not only does it damage their own psychological, physical and social relationships but it also leads to decision-making disorders that affect patients' treatment and disease prognosis (Saeid et al, 2020(Saeid et al, , 2022. Psychological problems for the patient's family members can range from severe negative emotions on admission to the ICU to decreased quality of life over time.…”

Development and psychometric evaluation of the family intensive care units syndrome inventory

“…In the integrative literature review, FICUS-related instruments were reviewed and their items were used to generate the FICUSI items. The results of the review and the qualitative study, published elsewhere (Saeid et al, 2020(Saeid et al, , 2022. First, 144 items were designed based on the findings obtained from the literature review and the qualitative study.…”

“…Recent studies highlighted that FICUS includes not only psychological problems but also physical, spiritual, and social problems (Saeid et al, 2020(Saeid et al, , 2021. Therefore, FICUS can be a threat to the physical, psychological, spiritual, and social health of the family members of patients in ICU (Saeid et al, 2021).…”

Anxiety and Depression Symptoms of Family Members of Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Prospective Observational Study and the Lived Experiences of the Family Members

“…5 After recognizing the psychological repercussions of the closest family members of dying ICU patients, patient-centered care rather than clinician-or disease-centered care, based on the view that not only the patients being treated but also their relatives have some needs, has gained prominence. [6][7][8][9][10] Previous studies indicated that at least two-thirds of the family members of ICU patients experience anxiety or depression symptoms during the ICU period. 2 It has been reported that these symptoms can be affected by age, gender, education level, relationship, and disease severity.…”