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Families, nurses and intensive care patients: a review of the literature
Author(s) -
HOLDEN JANET,
HARRISON LYNNE,
JOHNSON MARTIN
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of clinical nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.94
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1365-2702
pISSN - 0962-1067
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2702.2002.00581.x
Subject(s) - nursing , intensive care , strengths and weaknesses , medicine , face (sociological concept) , quality (philosophy) , critical care nursing , psychology , medline , health care , sociology , intensive care medicine , social psychology , philosophy , epistemology , political science , law , economics , economic growth , social science
• Nurses striving to give holistic care to provide quality care for their patients, need to recognize the importance of caring for patients' families. • A detailed review of the literature examining the relationships between nurses and intensive care patients' families was undertaken to examine its strengths and weaknesses as a basis for further study. • Studies show that although nurses are often in the best position to meet families' needs, their needs are not always met. • The building of good relationships with families is essential for nurses, and yet evidence shows that some nurses have difficulties in this area. • Good practice is identified and obstacles nurses face in forming relationships with families are explored. • Strategies for improving the interaction process between intensive care nurses and patients' families are systematically evaluated.