Unidad de cuidados intensivos de puertas abiertas: perspectiva de los profesionales

Perspectives of intensive care nurses on open visits in an ICU

OBJECTIVE

To determine the attitude of the nursing professionals of an Intensive Care Unit regarding the effects of open visiting on the daily activities of the patient, their family and professionals, and also to determine their contribution to the current open visiting policy.

METHOD

A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed, with a non-probabilistic discretionary sampling. The sample comprised nursing professionals of the aforementioned Unit. They were given a questionnaire with 26 items and an open question to evaluate their suggestions.

RESULTS

101 nursing professionals took part in the study, of the 120 working in the Unit under study. Seventy-five point two percent state that the nursing team has to postpone or modify their work due to the presence of the family and 89.9% that their presence produces a physical and psychological burden on the staff. Eighty percent think that the visit exhausts the family and 84.2% that the family feels obliged to remain with the patient. Ninety-four percent think that the effect of the presence of the family depends on the patient and the family.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of professionals have a negative opinion about the policy of open visits, showing some reluctance when it comes to flexible visiting hours, although they admit that an unrestricted schedule in this type of units implies some benefit for the patient and the family.

Perspectives of intensive care nurses on open visits in an ICU

OBJECTIVE

To determine the attitude of the nursing professionals of an Intensive Care Unit regarding the effects of open visiting on the daily activities of the patient, their family and professionals, and also to determine their contribution to the current open visiting policy.

METHOD

A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed, with a non-probabilistic discretionary sampling. The sample comprised nursing professionals of the aforementioned Unit. They were given a questionnaire with 26 items and an open question to evaluate their suggestions.

RESULTS

101 nursing professionals took part in the study, of the 120 working in the Unit under study. Seventy-five point two percent state that the nursing team has to postpone or modify their work due to the presence of the family and 89.9% that their presence produces a physical and psychological burden on the staff. Eighty percent think that the visit exhausts the family and 84.2% that the family feels obliged to remain with the patient. Ninety-four percent think that the effect of the presence of the family depends on the patient and the family.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of professionals have a negative opinion about the policy of open visits, showing some reluctance when it comes to flexible visiting hours, although they admit that an unrestricted schedule in this type of units implies some benefit for the patient and the family.

Nurse-family relationship. Beyond the opening of doors and schedules

INTRODUCTION

Care in the Intensive Care Unit involves contemplating, among other dimensions of the patient, the family. For this, it is necessary for the nurse to establish relationships with the patient's relatives.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the way in which the nurse-family relationship is established in the adult ICU, as well as the conditions, elements and factors that favour or hinder it.

METHOD

Integrative narrative review of the scientific literature. The databases consulted were Ovid, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Clinical Key, Google Scholar and Scielo. Articles in English and Spanish published between 2014 and 2018 were searched. The descriptors and formulas used were selected according to the acronym Population and their problems, Exposure and Outcomes or themes- PEO. The population comprised ICU nurses and the relatives of patients in critical condition; Adult Intensive Care Unit exposure or context; the expected results, and how they are related. For the methodological evaluation, the STROBE guide was used for observational articles, PRISMA for review articles, COREQ for qualitative articles and CASPe for articles derived from projects.

RESULTS

We identified 214 articles, of which 63 were selected to be included in the review. The central themes identified were: the ICU environment and its effects on the family, empathy as an indicator of relationship, interaction as a means of relating, communication as the centre of relationships and barriers to the establishment of relationships.

CONCLUSIONS

The nurse-family relationship in the Intensive Care Unit is based on interaction and communication amidst human, physical, regulatory and administrative barriers. Improving the nurse-family relationship contributes to the humanization of Adult Intensive Care Units.