Inter-facility transfers for advanced critical care services: Impacts on rural families

The aim of this article is to provide an integrative review of rural family members' experiences of a relative's inter-facility transfer to an urban tertiary care centre for advanced critical care services.

Although there is an increasing awareness of the negative consequences of a relative's critical illness for family members, there has been limited research conducted on the impacts of this experience for families of patients in rural settings who require an inter-facility transfer for advanced services.

The search strategy for this review was framed by the study purpose, research question, and a conceptual structure of key constructs. Databases and reference lists were electronically and manually searched.

Articles were included if they were research articles, available in English, and focused on family members' experiences of inter-facility transfer during critical illness. Articles focusing on critical care transfers within a single urban setting, elective transfers undertaken for patient or family preference, transfers not associated with critical illness, and systematic or scoping reviews were excluded.

Stress and anxiety are central to the rural family members' experience of this phenomenon. These constructs are influenced by modifiable factors, including the actions of health care providers, the financial burden associated with the transfer, the family members' physical proximity to the patient, and their access to information and support networks. Further research is required to explore potential short- and long-term consequences of this experience and the experience of family members who are left behind and to develop and test interventions to support families.

This review highlights the concern that health care providers frequently misunderstand the needs of family members who are experiencing this phenomenon. Through a better understanding of this phenomenon, health care providers will be better positioned to effectively support these individuals during this unique experience.