Family Resilience in the ICU: A Concept Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Family Studies
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Family resilience is crucial for coping with sudden changes in critical care settings.
• A clear definition of family resilience in the intensive care unit (ICU) is lacking.
• This study addresses the need for a defined concept of family resilience within the nursing discipline.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a concept analysis of 'family resilience in the ICU'.
• To deepen the understanding of family resilience within the nursing discipline.
• To facilitate the comprehension, implementation, and evaluation of family resilience in the ICU.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (Medline, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, etc.).
• Inclusion of studies on family resilience in the ICU, in English or Chinese.
• Application of Walker and Avant's concept analysis approach.

Main Results:

• Identified four key attributes of family resilience in the ICU: characteristics, belief, organization, and support systems.
• Defined four antecedents: unexpected admission, disrupted family order, acute stress, and positive response.
• Identified four consequences: development of resilience, family psychology, adaptation, and patient support.

Conclusions:

• Proposed an operational definition for family resilience in the ICU.
• Recommended key implementation strategies: identifying characteristics, managing expectations, providing support, promoting participation, and encouraging external resources.
• Emphasized advancing healthcare professionals' understanding and developing policies to increase family resilience in ICU settings.