Family Experiences in Neurological ICU: A "Bedside Phenomenon"
Family Experiences in Neurological ICU: A "Bedside Phenomenon"
This study explores the experiences of family members of patients with an emergent admission into a neurological intensive care unit. A descriptive, exploratory, multiple-case design was used. Participant observation and semistructured interviews were used to capture the experiences of families. Analysis revealed the "bedside phenomenon," which offers insight into families' desire to be at the bedside. The phenomenon is twofold, in that families are motivated by two goals to be at the bedside: They want to ensure their loved one is receiving the best care possible, and they want to maintain a connection with the person. Nurses who understand and recognize this phenomenon may be better positioned to work with families to achieve these goals.
Admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) often comes with no warning, throwing families into a whirlwind of uncertainty, shock, helplessness, and confusion. Family coping resources are not readily mobilized at such times, and the healthcare team is understandably focused on the severely ill or injured patient. Consequently, family needs and concerns are commonly overlooked or become secondary to caring for the patient. These neglected needs may be compounded in a neurological ICU. Here, families are confronted with the possibility that a loved one may be physically disabled as well as cognitively impaired, which creates a heightened sense of shock and the need for considerable support.
Researchers and clinicians have recognized family needs for support and the importance of incorporating families in care of critically ill patients. Quantitative studies have been conducted with families in critical care settings since the 1970s, but few have focused on the neurological ICU. Moreover, there has been little qualitative research on family experiences in the ICU. This article offers insight into family experiences that emerged from a qualitative study in a neurological ICU.
This study explores the experiences of family members of patients with an emergent admission into a neurological intensive care unit. A descriptive, exploratory, multiple-case design was used. Participant observation and semistructured interviews were used to capture the experiences of families. Analysis revealed the "bedside phenomenon," which offers insight into families' desire to be at the bedside. The phenomenon is twofold, in that families are motivated by two goals to be at the bedside: They want to ensure their loved one is receiving the best care possible, and they want to maintain a connection with the person. Nurses who understand and recognize this phenomenon may be better positioned to work with families to achieve these goals.
Admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) often comes with no warning, throwing families into a whirlwind of uncertainty, shock, helplessness, and confusion. Family coping resources are not readily mobilized at such times, and the healthcare team is understandably focused on the severely ill or injured patient. Consequently, family needs and concerns are commonly overlooked or become secondary to caring for the patient. These neglected needs may be compounded in a neurological ICU. Here, families are confronted with the possibility that a loved one may be physically disabled as well as cognitively impaired, which creates a heightened sense of shock and the need for considerable support.
Researchers and clinicians have recognized family needs for support and the importance of incorporating families in care of critically ill patients. Quantitative studies have been conducted with families in critical care settings since the 1970s, but few have focused on the neurological ICU. Moreover, there has been little qualitative research on family experiences in the ICU. This article offers insight into family experiences that emerged from a qualitative study in a neurological ICU.
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