Professionals' narratives of interactions with patients' families in intensive care
Permanent link
https://hdl.handle.net/10037/26693Date
2022-01-24Type
Journal articleTidsskriftartikkel
Peer reviewed
Author
Nygaard, Anne Mette; Haugdahl, Hege Selnes; Laholt, Hilde; Brinchmann, Berit Støre; Lind, RanveigAbstract
Aim: To explore ICU nurses’ and physicians’ bedside interaction with critically ill ICU patients´ families and discuss this in light of the ethics of care.
Research design: A qualitative study using participant observation, focus groups, and thematic narrative analysis.
Participants and research context: Data were gathered from July 2017 to August 2019, in four ICUs in Norway through 270 h of fieldwork and seven focus groups with ICU nurses and physicians.
Ethical considerations: The Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics and the Norwegian Centre for Research Data approved the study.
Findings: Quality of ICU family care depends on nurses’ and physicians’ attitudes, behavior, and personality traits. Three main themes were identified: being attentive, an active approach, and degree of tolerance.
Discussion: The findings are discussed in light of the ethics of care and empirical research from the intensive care environment.
Conclusions: This study shows that attentive, active, and tolerant clinicians represent a culture of ethical care that gives families greater freedom of action and active participation in patient care. Clinicians must not bear sole responsibility for this culture; it must have a firm basis in the hospital and ICU and be established through training, interprofessional reflection, and support of clinicians.