The needs of relatives of critically ill patients in the Intensive Therapy Unit

Abstract

This research investigated the needs of family members in the Intensive Care Unit and the approaches of nurses to meet the family's needs. The study was conducted at the Intensive Therapy Unit in St. Luke's hospital Malta and at the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary's hospital, England. Structured interviews were completed with 40 relatives (20 in Malta and 20 in UK), to identify if relatives' needs were met. A questionnaire was handed over to 40 nurses (20 in Malta and 20 in UK) to investigate the approaches of nurses in meeting the relatives' needs. The themes which emerged in this regards, indicated that (1) The waiting area in the ITU in Malta needed modification, (2) in Malta there was a lack of information-giving by nurses to relatives, (3) visiting policies at the Intensive care Unit in Malta needed to be reviewed, (4) relatives needed to be involved in the patient's care, while the patient was in ITU, (5) communication between Maltese nurses and other superiors in the health care team, needed to be enhanced. Practice implications from this study are included towards the end of the text.