Determining Family Needs on an Oncology Hospital Unit Using Interview, Art, and Survey

A movement worldwide, and specifically new to our hospital, is the implementation of Patient- and Family-Centered Care. We were unsure, however, what the needs were of our patients' families. This triangulated study, on a 28-bed oncology unit, studied family members at the bedside. We asked family members what their needs were in a three-step process (open-ended interview, use of the Draw a Bridge art therapy technique, and the Family Inventory of Needs survey). Nineteen interviews revealed needs for physical comfort, emotional support, cultural sensitivity, recognition of help provided by family members and improved pain management. Art therapy revealed the stress of caregiving and helped to uncover unmet needs for interviewers to explore. The FIN identified that care at home after discharge was a major worry. Knowledge of family members' needs while a loved one is in the hospital allows for planning and provision of modalities to assist them in their caregiving.