Healthcare Provider's Preferences on Open Versus Restricted Visiting Hours in Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Intensive care units (ICUs) are increasingly considering open visiting hours, posing implementation challenges.
• Healthcare provider insights are crucial for understanding the impact of visiting policy changes on patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess healthcare providers' perspectives on the impact of open versus restricted ICU visiting hours on patient care.
• To identify specific concerns and perceived benefits associated with different ICU visitation policies.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey using a five-point Likert scale was administered to surgical ICU healthcare providers.
• Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze survey responses from 93 participants.

Main Results:

• The majority of providers (81%) did not believe open visiting hours would enhance patient-centered care.
• Key concerns included increased provider stress (89%), workflow disruption (90%), and potential burnout (76%).
• Providers perceived restricted visitation as better for patient privacy (87%), healing (64%), and workflow (95%).

Conclusions:

• Healthcare providers in surgical ICUs hold negative perceptions regarding open visiting hours.
• Concerns about increased stress for patients and providers highlight potential challenges for policy implementation.
• Further research is needed to inform evidence-based decisions on ICU visitation practices.