La Famiglia è Tutto: Why Families Must Be at the Bedside

Open Intensive Care Units (ICUs) represent one of the most significant transformations in the humanization of health care by removing temporal, physical, and relational barriers. While limitations on visiting hours are often implemented to alleviate concerns about infection spread or issues with interference with care, numerous studies have demonstrated overwhelming benefits of family members at patients' bedside, including reduced incidence of delirium and shorter hospital stays. Family members are vital teammates in the patient recovery process and, with clear engagement methods, can help provide care to loved ones and alleviate burdens on busy ICU team. Our values and commitment to serve our vulnerable patients highlights a duty we have as ICU providers to identify and overcome barriers to visitation in order to foster the peaceful, empathetic, and patient- and family-centered environments that we would want for ourselves and our loved ones.