Involving families in care within the intensive care environment: a descriptive survey

A descriptive survey design was utilised within a general intensive care environment, to describe the attitudes of nurses and relatives towards the provision of care by relatives to their critically ill loved one. Triangulation was employed utilising a questionnaire comprising a Likert scale, a checklist of participatory care activities, open questions and biographical questions. The total nurse population of the intensive care unit (ICU) was surveyed. 27 questionnaires were returned (a response rate of 75%). Of a possible 45 relatives surveyed, 20 returned questionnaires (a response rate of 44.4%). A high proportion of both the nurse and the relative samples (96.3% and 85% respectively) indicated their agreement with the concept of involving relatives in the physical care of their critically ill loved one. The results highlighted issues of personal choice for individual lay involvement and adequate information for families to become involved. For the nurse sample the major themes emergent were the problems of role adaptation for nurses and families involved, and building relationships. For the relative sample the categories emergent were adapting to the demanding ICU environment and identifying the parameters of their new caring role. The study suggests benefits, to both nurses and relatives, of lay participation in physical care of critically ill patients on the ICU environment.