Lived Experiences of Family Members of Patients With Severe COVID-19 Who Died in Intensive Care Units in France

Key Points Question What is the experience of bereaved family members after the death of a loved one in an intensive care unit (ICU) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic? Findings In this qualitative study of 19 bereaved family members, participants reported difficulties in establishing a bond with the ICU team and maintaining a relationship with their loved ones during their stay in the ICU. They also described a feeling of “stolen moments” after the death of their loved one, generating strong feelings of disbelief that could potentially lead to complicated grieving. Meaning These findings suggest that while adapting care practices and visiting policies is necessary given the public health menace, preventing families from seeing their loved ones altogether was highly detrimental: specific family-centered guidelines for crisis management are needed.