Family participation in the care of the critical patient: An exploratory study

To determine the level of readiness of the healthcare team regarding family participation in the care of the critically ill adult and their relationship with the individual characteristics of the participants in a medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in Santiago de Chile.

A cross-sectional correlational study using a quantitative method and including a focus group to explore the perception of healthcare staff of family participation in the care of the critically ill patient.

The level of readiness of the healthcare team for family participation in the care of the critically ill patient is medium, at 13.81 out of a total 20. The greater the readiness, the lower the age (r = -0.215; P = 0.019), the higher the rating of previous experience working with families (r = 0.304; P = 0.006), and the higher the perception of being comfortable with different activities in the care of the critical patient (r = 0.495: P < 0.001). The participants also state that the work environment of the unit, the patient's condition, the relatives' characteristics, personal judgement, and the preparedness of relatives affect their readiness.

The results contribute towards determining the healthcare team's level of readiness in a setting where the subject of the study has not been implemented. The readiness of the healthcare team is medium, and is related to individual characteristics of the healthcare staff, and to organizational and family aspects. Therefore, strategies are required to address these aspects that might increase readiness.