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Family members’ experiences in adult intensive care units: a systematic review
Author(s) -
Imanipour Masoomeh,
Kiwanuka Frank,
Akhavan Rad Sanaz,
Masaba Ronald,
Alemayehu Yisak Hagos
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of caring sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.678
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1471-6712
pISSN - 0283-9318
DOI - 10.1111/scs.12675
Subject(s) - scopus , systematic review , medline , medicine , intensive care , health care , nursing , family medicine , psychology , intensive care medicine , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Background Admission to Intensive Care Units ( ICU ) exposures family members to a new environment, advanced monitoring systems and aggressive treatments. This is coupled with the critical condition of the patient being admitted in ICU . In such times of stress and crisis, families have varying experiences as they navigate the ICU journey. These happen more or less in chronological phases. Aim This review sought to describe the experiences of family members of patients admitted in adult ICU s. Data sources Four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science) were searched, using keywords and free‐text words. Methods Curation of the review question involved problem identification, a scoping search, developing a search strategy, evaluation, data analysis, and reporting. Freehand search in reference lists of eligible articles was also done to obtain potentially eligible articles published in English language between 2007 and 2018. Studies were included if they reported on family members’ experiences in adult ICU s. This review conforms to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta‐Analysis ( PRISMA ). Results Upon completion of the screening process, 28 studies were included. Most studies were conducted in the United States while no study was identified from Africa. We report on 717 family members. Family members’ experience of the ICU journey falls into three main themes: (i) Floating, (ii) Probing and (iii) Continuity or Closure. Conclusion As healthcare technology advances, the ICU environment consequently needs to evolve. As such, healthcare providers will need to adjust their practice, support and consider the patients’ family as the other part of the patient and members of the care team in order to meet their expectations. Further research highlighting family members’ experience of the ICU journey in Africa is needed.