The impact of visiting restrictions in intensive care units for families during the COVID‐19 pandemic: An integrative review

Abstract

AimTo synthesize current evidence about the impact visiting restrictions in adult intensive care units have on family members during the COVID‐19 pandemic.DesignIntegrative literature review.MethodsA total of 104 articles were retrieved. Screening yielded a total of 23 articles which were appraised for quality. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied to synthesize findings and extract themes.Data SourcesCINAHL Plus, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed and ProQuest databases were searched for articles between January 2020 and November 2022.ResultsThe findings were grouped into two main themes with six subthemes. Theme 1: not being present at the bedside, and Theme 2: altered communication added to family members' distress. Findings indicate that visiting restrictions imposed during the COVID‐19 pandemic had negative consequences for family members.ConclusionThe patient and their family are inherently connected, prioritizing family presence with the return of flexible, open visitation policies in ICU must be a priority to mitigate further harm and adverse outcomes for all.Reporting MethodThe review complies with the PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic reviews.Implications for ProfessionNursing leaders must be included in the development of future pandemic policies that advocate family‐centred care.No Patient or Public ContributionNo patient or public contribution was included in this review.