DIAGNÓSTICO DE NECESSIDADES DA FAMÍLIA DE CLIENTES ADULTOS NA UNIDADE

The object of study is the diagnosis of the needs of adult clients’ families in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and objectifies to describe necessities presented by family members. It is a literature review of studies from 2001 to 2006 using Bireme, Scielo and ICCN as databases. The thematic analysis of fifteen scientific articles was held using NANDA’s (North American Nursing Diagnosis Association) diagnoses as its theoretical background. The analysis identified the interdependence of communication and therapeutic relationship to care delivery and the vulnerability of both client and family caused by his/her disease, making it difficult to take care of the patient, according to the expectations of nurses and the philosophy of the institution. It is considered that the presence of the family at ICU is essential, since they are oriented to play their role as caregivers. Nursing should offer them support to integrate ICU care.