Measuring Family Satisfaction With Care Delivered in the Intensive Care Unit

Patient- and Family-Centered Outcomes After Intensive Care Unit Admission

BACKGROUND

Family satisfaction with intensive care is a measure of patient experience and patient-centered care. Among the factors that might influence family satisfaction are the timing of patient admittance to the intensive care unit (ICU), the ICU environment, and individual health care providers.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate family satisfaction with the ICU and to explore associations between satisfaction and specific characteristics of the ICU stay.

METHODS

Participants were adult family members of ICU patients. One family member per patient was enrolled. Regression was used to test the association between time or day of admittance and scores on the Family Satisfaction With Care in the Intensive Care Unit survey. Additionally, we explored exposure to admitting physicians and registered nurses. Free-text survey comments were grouped by using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Surveys were completed by 401 family members. There was no association between survey scores and providers, nor between scores and the time or day of the ICU admission. Three major themes emerged as important to patient and family satisfaction: (1) communication and information, (2) personalization or the patient as expert, and (3) staff and environment.

CONCLUSIONS

Family satisfaction with an ICU admission was not influenced by the timing of the admission. Overall satisfaction with the ICU was high. The qualitative analysis points to the importance of collecting qualitative data in addition to using standard survey tools to capture the richness of patient experience. Ongoing efforts to engage with families remain critical to the practice of family- and patient-centered care in the ICU.

Intensive care professionals' perceptions of the quality of counselling provided in the ICU: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Intensive care professionals (ICPs) have a key role in counselling adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients and their family members. The counselling provided to ICU patients and their family members can be described based on the content, implementation, benefits, and resources.

AIMS

The study had two specific aims: first, to assess ICPs' perceptions of the quality of counselling provided to ICU patients and their family members; and second, to explore which factors ICPs feel is associated with the quality of counselling.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey of ICPs working in adult ICUs in Finnish university hospitals. Data were collected using the Counselling Quality Instrument. The data were analysed by descriptive statistics and chi-square and t-test statistical methods.

RESULTS

A total of 182 ICPs returned the questionnaire, reflecting a response rate of 18.6%. Most of the respondents were nurses (97%) and the mean age was 42 years. The ICPs reported having adequate time for patient- (77%) and family-centered (73%) counselling, but only 47% felt that their units had the appropriate facilities. There were statistically significant differences between patient- and family-centered counselling and the ICP's self-assessed competence (p < .001), goal-oriented counselling (p < .001), and atmosphere during counselling (p < .001). ICPs' attitudes towards counselling impacted how these professionals assessed patients' and family members' confidence, along with patient recovery (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms that the provision of high-quality counselling has beneficial effects; however, it also indicates that there is a need for training that considers each ICP's professional experience and patient- and family-centered factors, which may differ from one another.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

According to ICPs, the quality of counselling can be enhanced by empowering ICPs to improve counselling and providing appropriate ICU facilities for counselling, such as a private room for family members.

Critical care: A concept analysis

Objective

The terms critical care and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are often used interchangeably to describe a place of care. Defining critical care becomes challenging because of the colloquial use of the term. Using concept analysis allows for the development of definition and meaning. The aim of this concept analysis is to distinguish the use of the term critical care to develop an operational definition which describes what constitutes critical care.

Method

Walker and Avant's eight-step approach to concept analysis guided this study. Five databases (CINAHL, Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest Dissertation Abstracts and Medline in EBSCO) were searched for studies related to critical care. The search included both qualitative and quantitative studies written in English and published between 1990 and 2022.

Results

Of the 439 papers retrieved, 47 met the inclusion criteria. The defining attributes of critical care included 1) a maladaptive response to illness/injury, 2) admission modelling criteria, 3) advanced medical technologies, and 4) specialised health professionals. Antecedents were associated with illness/injury that progressed to a level of criticality with a significant decline in both physical and psychological functioning. Consequences were identified as either death or survival with/without experiencing post-ICU syndrome.

Conclusion

Describing critical care is often challenging because of the highly technical nature of the environment. This conceptual understanding and operational definition will inform future research as to the scope of critical care and allow for the design of robust evaluative instruments to better understand the nature of care in the intensive care environment.

Family members' perceptions of counselling during visits to loved ones in an adult ICU

AIMS

The study's aims were to (1) assess family members' perceptions of the quality of the counselling they received while visiting a loved one in an adult ICU and (2) identify factors that influence family members' perceptions of counselling quality.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey of visiting family members of adult ICU patients.

METHODS

Family members (n = 55) at eight ICUs across five Finnish university hospitals completed a cross-sectional survey.

RESULTS

Family members assessed the quality of counselling in adult ICUs to be good. Factors associated with the quality of counselling were knowledge, family-centred counselling, and interaction. Family members' ability to live normally was associated with understanding of the loved one's situation (ρ = 0.715, p < 0.001). Interaction was associated with understanding (ρ = 0.715, p < 0.001). Family members felt that intensive care professionals did not adequately ensure that they understood counselling-related issues and that they lacked opportunities to give feedback, in 29% of cases, staff asked the family members whether they understood the counselling and 43% of family members had opportunities to offer feedback. However, the family members felt that the counselling they received during ICU visits was beneficial.

COMFORT communication in the ICU: Pilot test of a nurse-led communication intervention for surrogates

AIM

This study was designed to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a nurse-led communication intervention among surrogates in the intensive care unit (ICU) guided by the COMFORT (Connect; Options; Making meaning; Family caregivers; Openings; Relating; Team) communication model.

BACKGROUND

As frontline communicators, nurses experience communication difficulties with surrogates who face complex informational and emotional barriers when making decisions for critically ill patients in the ICU. However, research on effective nurse communication focusing on both curative and end-of-life (EOL) care is lacking in the literature.

DESIGN

A single-centre two-group pretest-posttest quasi-experiment.

METHOD

The total sample included 41 surrogates of adult ventilated patients. Twenty participants were allocated to the intervention group who received a daily 20-min telephone call with content based on the COMFORT communication model. Twenty-one participants comprised the control group who received usual care. Participants completed a questionnaire before and after the study measuring satisfaction, anxiety and depression, decisional conflict, and quality of communication. The Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Nonrandomized Designs (TREND) checklist was followed for nonrandomised controlled trials.

RESULT

The intervention was feasible, with 19 of 20 surrogates completing the follow-up surveys, and 48 telephone conversations completed (48% of the planned phone calls). Surrogates' satisfaction was higher in the intervention group than in the control group after adjusting for the selected covariates (25.43 and 24.15, respectively; p = .512). Preliminary efficacy outcomes favouring the intervention included quality of communication with healthcare providers, but not surrogates' perceived depression/anxiety and decisional conflicts.

CONCLUSION

Implementation of the intervention is feasible, acceptable, and favourable among surrogates to improve quality of communication with healthcare providers in the ICU. Further research is needed to determine whether the intervention could be implemented by nurses to improve surrogates' outcomes in other ICUs.

Satisfaction of patients and family caregivers in adult intensive care units: Literature Review

Intensive care units are hostile places, which must be conditioned to the needs of patients and families, and therefore the factors that influence their satisfaction must be known.

OBJECTIVE

To update the knowledge on the satisfaction of the patients admitted to an adult intensive care unit and that of their family caregivers as described in the scientific literature.

METHODOLOGY

A systematized literature review was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, Cinahl and WOS databases.

SEARCH STRATEGY

"Personal Satisfaction" and (patients or caregivers) and "Intensive Care Units".

INCLUSION CRITERIA

studies published between 2013-2018, population aged between 19-64 years, English and Spanish language.

RESULTS

760 studies were located and 15 were selected. The factors that increased satisfaction are: good communication with professionals (n = 5), the quality of care (n = 4), and the cleanliness and environment of the units (n = 2). The factors that produced dissatisfaction are: the infrastructure of the waiting room (n = 5), inadequate communication (n = 4), and the involvement of families and patients in decision-making (n = 4). Training of professionals (n = 5), inclusion of the family during the process of hospitalization (n = 2) and redesigning the waiting room (n = 2) are some of the suggestions for improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors related to professionals, environment and cleanliness of the units are satisfaction-generating factors. Factors generating dissatisfaction related to poor infrastructure, a lack of involvement in decision-making and poor professional communication. Strategies to improve patient and family satisfaction relate to the organization, professionals, family members, and infrastructure and environment.

Anxiety, social support and satisfaction of patients' families in intensive care units: A descriptive-correlational study

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted with family members of patients' in the intensive care unit (ICU) to identify their anxiety level, social support and satisfaction with the ICU.

BACKGROUND

Admission of critical patients to the ICU usually involves the participation of family members.

DESIGN

A descriptive-correlational design was used and reported according to the STROBE checklist.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 250 family members in ICUs in a city of Turkey. Data were collected by the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Family Satisfaction in the Intensive Care Unit scale.

RESULTS

A negative correlation was found between family satisfaction of the ICU and state anxiety (r = -0.349, p < 0.001), and a negative relationship between the satisfaction of the ICU and trait anxiety of the participants (r = -0.151, p < 0.05). There was a significant relationship between the state anxiety level (Adjusted R² = 0.080, F = 8.247, p < 0.001), trait anxiety level (Adjusted R² = 0.185, F = 19.821, p < 0.001), the perceived social support (Adjusted R² = 0.094, F = 9.640, p < 0.001) and satisfaction (Adjusted R² = 0.013, F = 4.161, p < 0.001) of family members and their sociodemographic characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

The study concluded that anxiety levels of relatives of the families were high, their social support and satisfaction with the intensive care unit were at a moderate level. There was a correlation between anxiety levels, satisfaction with the intensive care unit, and the perceived social support of families.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Holistic care for the psychosocial needs of families who have a member in the ICU should be planned to increase satisfaction. Nurses should observe families closely for anxiety, allow them to ask questions and include them in the care of their family member.

Family Experience during Patient Assistance Process in General Intensive Care Unit: A Phenomenology Study

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit (ICU) treatment can lead to fear, anxiety, depression, panic, and tension in the family. Place of the family as active presence, guardian, facilitator, historian, and coaching of the family cannot be separated from the recovery process. During the assistance of ICU patients, the family is faced with a strange environment, strict rules, emotional stress, and everyday life changes that have caused them to encounter psychological and physiological concerns. AIM: This study aims to describe and interpret of the family’s experience during assistance patient in the ICU. METHODS: A phenomenological methodology is used to explore experience of family. In-depth interviews were conducted on nine participants who were selected using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed by Colaizzi techniques, began with read transcripts, look for phenomenon, formulated data, organized, and verified to the participants. RESULTS: The result is presented in three themes; physically and psychologically tired; good language is a medicine, strengthens each other’s companion. CONCLUSION: The support of the patient in the ICU helps the family face a number of stressful circumstances. Adaptive coping and psychosocial help from health care workers and friends build a supportive family to cope with the difficulties when supporting patients in the ICU.

The Association Between Quality and Safety Climate of a Hospital Ward, Family Members' Empowerment, and Satisfaction With Provided Care

PURPOSE

This study was designed to examine the perceptions of ward quality and safety held by family members and nurses, and investigate its impact on family members' empowerment, and satisfaction with patient hospitalization.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study on two study groups was conducted at a large public hospital in Israel. The first group comprised 86 family members of patients hospitalized for more than 72 hours in acute critical condition in intensive care units (ICU) or general wards (GW). The second group included 101 registered nurses who treated the patients in the ICU or GW.

METHODS

Data were collected by a validated self-administered structured questionnaire. All participants voluntarily signed an informed consent and answered questions related to their demographic characteristics, perceptions, and attitudes toward quality and safety climate, empowerment, and satisfaction with the patients' hospitalization. Pearson correlations coefficient, t-test for independent samples, and a multiple regression model were performed to analyze the data.

FINDINGS

The mean age of family members was 51.4 ± 14.1 years and of nurses was 40.9 ± 9.9 years. A significant positive association was found between ward quality and safety climate and empowerment of the family member (r = .716; p < .001); empowerment of the family member and family members' satisfaction with the patients' hospitalization (r = .695; p < .001); and ward safety and quality climate and family members' satisfaction with the patients' hospitalization (r = .763; p <.001). Family members ranked ward quality and safety climate (M = 4.20 ± 0.60 vs. M = 3.61 ± 0.40), and their satisfaction with the patients' hospitalization (M = 4.49 ± 0.69 vs. M = 4.07± 0.54), which were significantly (p < .001) higher than the nurses' estimate. The significant predictors for family members' satisfaction with patients' hospitalization were commitment to quality leadership (b = .210; p = .027); implementing a quality improvement (b = .547; p < .001); and hand-off communication (b = .299; p = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Positive relationships between quality and safety climate, empowerment, and satisfaction with patients' hospitalization suggest that by improving the ward quality and safety climate, and family empowerment, we may also improve family satisfaction. Although family members reported being satisfied with hospitalization in the ICU and GW, quality leadership and implementing a quality improvement among the nurses and hand-off communication between nurses and patients' families, will be targeted to improve family satisfaction with the patients' hospitalization.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Nurses who provide care for patients in a critical condition should maintain high levels of safety and quality care in order to improve the patients' family empowerment and satisfaction. Specifically, their efforts should target a commitment to quality leadership, implementing quality improvement, and hand-off communication.

Analyzing clinical and system drivers of satisfaction in the intensive care unit as a component of high quality care

BACKGROUND

Quality improvement in the intensive care unit has transitioned from focusing on mortality to improving care and reducing morbidity.

OBJECTIVE

This study prospectively investigated clinical and system drivers of family satisfaction in a large quaternary hospital ICU.

METHODS

A validated tool was distributed to family members and a registry chart analysis was conducted. The aims were to assess associations with high or low family satisfaction to evaluate unit-level satisfaction. Candidate predictors were selected from univariate logistic regressions and finalized in a multivariate model by a stepwise selection approach.

RESULTS

Overall, 75% (n = 188) of respondents (n = 250) indicated high satisfaction. Respondents with higher satisfaction had a Plan of the Day posted (OR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.63, 6.89, p = 0.001), and did not live with the patient (OR =0.5, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.96, p = 0.044).

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that communication and transparency of plans contributes to family satisfaction with ICU care.

Family satisfaction in the intensive care unit: The influence of disease severity, care relationship, patient anxiety and patient pain

BACKGROUND

There is little empirical evidence that can be used to identify factors associated with family satisfaction in the context of the intensive care unit, especially from the perspectives of the patient and patient-family member interactions.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the influence of disease severity, care relationship, anxiety, and pain of patients on family satisfaction in the intensive care unit.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional descriptive and exploratory study was conducted in the Surgical unit in the Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

METHODS

A total of 227 patients and their family member dyads were included and surveyed. The dependent variable family satisfaction was measured by the Chinese version of the critical care family satisfaction survey. The independent variables included patient characteristics, care relationship, disease severity, patient anxiety, and patient pain. Disease severity was assessed by The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II. Patient anxiety was measured using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. Patient pain was measured with Numeric rating scale.

RESULTS

Patients with higher self-rating anxiety scores (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87-0.97) were less likely to have higher family satisfaction for their family member dyad. However, those with mild perceived pain (OR 5.21, 95% CI 1.97-13.80) were more likely to have higher family satisfaction for their family member dyad. Disease severity and care relationship showed no significant associations with family satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Future interventions may include open communication with family members giving explanations regarding the physical and psychological condition of the patient, care delivered and interventions received.

Timely Family Feedback to Guide Family Engagement in the Intensive Care Unit

BACKGROUND

Organizations motivated to provide high-quality care in the intensive care unit are exploring strategies to engage families in patient care. Such initiatives are based on emerging evidence that family engagement improves quality and safety of care.

OBJECTIVE

To gather family feedback to guide future nurse-led quality improvement efforts to engage families in the intensive care unit setting.

METHODS

The Critical Care Family Satisfaction Survey, which consists of 20 items rated from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied), was paired with open-ended questions and administered to families during the intensive care unit stay from March through December 2017. Content analysis was used to identify themes regarding the family experience.

RESULTS

Responses were collected from 178 family members. The mean (SD) score on the survey was 4.65 (0.33). Five themes emerged regarding the delivery of family care in the intensive care unit: family interactions with the interdisciplinary team, information sharing and effective communication, family navigation of the intensive care unit environment, family engagement in the intensive care unit, and quality of patient care.

CONCLUSIONS

This quality improvement project provided foundational information to guide family engagement efforts in the intensive care unit. Real-time solicitation of feedback is essential to improving the family experience and guiding family-centered care delivery in this practice environment.

Validation and Analysis of the European Quality Questionnaire in Italian Language

The European Quality Questionnaire (euroQ2) is the culturally-adapted version to the European context of the Family Satisfaction in Intensive Care Unit (FS-ICU) and Quality of Dying and Death (QODD) tools in a single instrument divided into three parts (the last is optional). These tools were created for an adult setting. The aim of this study was the Italian validation and analysis of the euroQ2 tool. The Italian version of euroQ2 questionnaire was administered to the relatives, over 18 years of age, of adult intensive care unit patients, with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Impact of Event Scale—Revised (IES-r). For the re-test phase the questionnaire was administered a second time. One hundred questionnaires were filled in. The agreement between test and retest was between 17–19 out of 20 participants with an upward trend in the re-test phase. A measure of coherence and cohesion between the euroQ2 variables was given by Cronbach’s alpha: in the first part of the questionnaire alpha was 0.82, in the second part it was 0.89. The linear Pearson’s correlation coefficients between all questions showed a weak positive correlation. The results obtained agreed with the original study. This study showed a good stability of the answers, an indication of an unambiguous understanding of the Italian translation.

Satisfaction of patients and family caregivers in adult intensive care units: Literature Review

Intensive care units are hostile places, which must be conditioned to the needs of patients and families, and therefore the factors that influence their satisfaction must be known.

OBJECTIVE

To update the knowledge on the satisfaction of the patients admitted to an adult intensive care unit and that of their family caregivers as described in the scientific literature.

METHODOLOGY

A systematized literature review was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, Cinahl and WOS databases.

SEARCH STRATEGY

"Personal Satisfaction" and (patients or caregivers) and "Intensive Care Units".

INCLUSION CRITERIA

studies published between 2013-2018, population aged between 19-64 years, english and spanish language.

RESULTS

760 studies were located and 15 were selected. The factors that increased satisfaction are: good communication with professionals (n=5), the quality of care (n=4), and the cleanliness and environment of the units (n=2). The factors that produced dissatisfaction are: the infrastructure of the waiting room (n=5), inadequate communication (n=4), and the involvement of families and patients in decision-making (n=4). Training of professionals (n=5), inclusion of the family during the process of hospitalization (n=2) and redesigning the waiting room (n=2) are some of the suggestions for improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors related to professionals, environment and cleanliness of the units are satisfaction-generating factors. Factors generating dissatisfaction related to poor infrastructure, a lack of involvement in decision-making and poor professional communication. Strategies to improve patient and family satisfaction relate to the organization, professionals, family members, and infrastructure and environment.

Burnout syndrome among healthcare professionals in intensive care units: a cross-sectional population-based study

Objective

To assess the prevalence of and factors associated with Burnout syndrome among intensive care unit professionals.

Methods

In this cross-sectional population-based study, a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic, behavioral, and occupational data was administered to 241 nurses and physicians working in 17 public intensive care units in São Luis (MA), Brazil. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey was used to identify Burnout syndrome based on Maslach’s and Grunfeld’s criteria. The prevalence of each dimension of the syndrome was estimated with a 95% confidence interval. Associations were estimated by the odds ratios via multiple logistic regression analyses (α = 5%).

Results

The prevalence of Burnout syndrome was 0.41% (0.01 - 2.29) according to Maslach’s criteria and 36.9% (30.82 - 43.36) according to Grunfeld’s criteria. Infant intensive care unit professionals were more likely to develop emotional exhaustion than other intensive care professionals (OR = 3.16). Respondents over the age of 35 were less likely to develop emotional exhaustion (OR = 0.32) and depersonalization (OR = 0.06). Longer working hours in intensive care units were associated with a reduced sense of personal accomplishment (OR = 1.13). Among nurses, males had a lower sense of professional accomplishment, and not exercising regularly was associated with more emotional exhaustion and less depersonalization. Among physicians, working in infant and cardiology intensive care units made them less likely to have a reduced sense of personal accomplishment, and physicians without a postgraduate degree who worked in intensive care units had a higher chance of having a lower sense of personal accomplishment.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the low prevalence of Burnout syndrome. Most of the professionals reported low levels for each dimension of Burnout, including low levels of emotional exhaustion, low levels of depersonalization, and a lower likelihood of having a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Nurses and physicians have different characteristics associated with Burnout syndrome.

Families of patients in ICU: A Scoping review of their needs and satisfaction with care

AIM

To describe published literature on the needs and experiences of family members of adults admitted to intensive care and interventions to improve family satisfaction and psychological well-being and health.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

METHODS

Several selective databases were searched. English-language articles were retrieved, and data extracted on study design, sample size, sample characteristics and outcomes measured.

RESULTS

From 469 references, 43 studies were identified for inclusion. Four key themes were identified: (a) Different perspectives on meeting family needs; (b) Family satisfaction with care in intensive care; (c) Factors having an impact on family health and well-being and their capacity to cope; and (d) Psychosocial interventions. Unmet informational and assurance needs have an impact on family satisfaction and mental health. Structured written and oral information shows some effect in improving satisfaction and reducing psychological burden. Future research might include family in the design of interventions, provide details of the implementation process and have clearly identified outcomes.

Factors That Impact Family Perception of Goal-Concordant Care at the End of Life

Background: Goal-concordant care (GCC)-care aligned with a patient's known goals and values-is a measure of the quality of end-of-life (EOL) care that can be assessed by surveying family members after a patient's death. It is unknown whether patient characteristics affect this measure. Objective: The objective of the article was to examine family report of GCC and its associations with patient characteristics. Methods: Using the Health and Retirement Study, which is a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort of adults over age 50, we sampled decedents whose family completed the 2014 postdeath interview. Families reported frequency of GCC at the EOL. A multivariable regression model assessed the associations between family report of GCC and decedent characteristics. Results: Of 1175 respondents, 76% reported that the decedent "usually" or "always" received GCC. Proxy report of GCC was independently associated with age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.03), having three or more chronic medical conditions (AOR 1.34, CI 1.02-1.77), the presence of written or verbal advance care planning (ACP) (AOR 1.38, CI 1.02-1.88), and an interaction term of race and ability to participate in EOL decision making (AOR 3.83, CI 1.02-14.40). African American race was not independently associated with GCC (AOR 0.73, CI 0.5-1.06). Conclusion: Family's report of GCC is associated with ACP, age, and multimorbidity. Being African American and perceived as able to participate in EOL decision making was significantly associated with report of GCC. Bringing the patient's voice into EOL care discussions through upstream ACP with likely surrogates may be particularly important to improving GCC for African Americans.

The needs of family members of patients admitted to the intensive care unit

PURPOSE

The unanticipated admission of a patient to the intensive care unit (ICU) can be particularly frightening and stressful for their family members. The objective of this study was to identify the most important needs of family members of patients admitted in the ICU and determine their relationship with their sociodemographic characteristics.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study conducted from April to August 2017 among adult family members of patients admitted to the ICU of four public hospitals in the northern region of Saudi Arabia. The "Critical Care Family Needs Inventory" questionnaire was administered to all consenting relatives of ICU patients in order to determine the family needs. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Also, students' t-test and ANOVA were carried out.

RESULTS

The most important need identified by the family members was the need for assurance (3.62±0.44), followed by information (3.47±0.59), proximity (3.34±0.44), comfort (3.01±0.72), and support (2.91±0.68). A higher level of education was significantly associated with a higher level of need for assurance (P<0.001), information (P<0.001), and proximity (P<0.001). Also, participants who had an unconscious/semiconscious relative in the ICU assigned a higher level of importance to information need (P<0.001) compared with those with a conscious relative.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown that family members of patients admitted to ICU have elevated levels of needs in the assurance, proximity, and information dimensions that require to be addressed. This should guide the development of connection, effective communication, and beneficial cooperation toward offering the best possible care and support to ICU patients and their relatives.

Developing professional competence among critical care nurses: An integrative review of literature

BACKGROUND

Professional competence is the ability to base clinical decisions on prior experiences with particular clinical situations.

METHODS

An integrative review of the literature using the methodology of Whittemore and Knafl. The guiding question was: What is the extent and nature of the published literature on intensive care nurses developing professional competence?

RESULTS

This review analysed 21 peer-reviewed articles obtained from electronic databases. The three main domains of professional competence were managing situations, decision-making and teamwork. Three instruments, the Critical Care Competency Assessment instrument, the Self-Assessment Competence Tool, and the Intensive and Critical Care Nursing Competence Scale (intensive care unit), measure professional and/or clinical competence. Demographic factors are experience, education, age, figure tow near here certification status, gender and location.

CONCLUSION

Perception of self-competence, seeing beyond the technical aspects of care to the patient, and perceptions of and bonding with intensive care patients and their families are other facets of professional competence that warrant further study.

Challenges of Inpatient Glycemic Control

Hyperglycemia occurs in more than 30% of hospitalized patients. The condition has been associated with higher mortality and poor outcomes. Systems to effectively treat dysglycemia have been put into place, although many focus on critical care areas. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the challenges for glycemic control in non-critical care areas. Standardized order sets, critical pathways, professional education, and collaborative systems can support improved control.