Nurses' Perspectives on Family Involvement in Intensive Care

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore how nurses perceive the role of the family while caring for the patients admitted in intensive care of Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital, Brunei. Methods: An exploratory, qualitative design was used to explore nurses' insights on the inputs of family in intensive care. Ten nurses who fit the inclusion criteria were invited using a purposive sampling method. They were individually interviewed and were audio-recorded with the consent of the nurses. These interviews were coded and thematically analysed. Results: Three major themes emerged from the study, including importance of family presence, concern over patient safety and question about family readiness. Conclusion: The results of this study concluded that the family role is expressed through their 'presence' in intensive care which is significant in patient care. The study also identified concern over patient safety and query into the family readiness to get involved in the intensive care.