The provision of emotional support to the families of traumatic brain injury patients: perspectives of Finnish nurses

Taking care experiences of improved comatose patients with traumatic brain injury and their families

Introduction:

The most prominent causes of coma are traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which have high incidence. However, little research about the caring aspects of these patients has been done, and the notion of caring experiences is unknown. Therefore, this study was conducted to describe the care-taking experiences of coma patients and their families during and after treatment.

Methods:

This study is a qualitative content analysis. Participants in this study were improved TBI patients and their families. Participants were selected purposefully. The method of data collection was 16 interviews that were held with 14 of the participants. Data were analyzed using Elo and Kyngäs conventional content analysis guidelines with MAXQDA software, version 10.

Results:

The results showed four main themes and eight categories. Themes included “crisis,” “comprehensive support,” communication,” and “unprofessional care.”

Conclusion:

Patients and families experience a crisis during hospitalization and after discharge. Therefore, patients and families need psychological support. Informing families and communication decrease the conflicts between healthcare personnel and the family. Medical staff must be careful about their statements and behaviors during comatose patients’ care because they understand the care process.

Caring Interaction with stroke survivors' family members-Family members' and nurses' perspectives

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To examine emotional support given by nurses to family members in the acute phase after a working-aged patient's stroke based on nurses' and family members' experiences.

BACKGROUND

The number of patients with stroke is increasing globally. There is a lack of knowledge about the emotional support of family members during the acute phase of working-aged stroke victims. To be able to provide high-quality nursing care during this phase, we need information about emotional support from family members' and nurses' perspective.

METHOD

Using a Glaserian grounded theory approach, the study was conducted using open interviews with family members and group interviews with nurses. Data were collected between 2012-2013.

RESULTS

In this study, emotional support is identified as Caring Interaction. The changed life situation and diverse feelings aroused by the stroke are the starting point of providing emotional support to family members. It is important that the nurses notice family members' need for support at the right time, use their intuition and respond appropriately.

CONCLUSIONS

The patient's family members are important when providing holistic nursing care for the whole family. As well as providing emotional support, high-quality nursing interventions enhance the care of family members. This study provides an explanation of the interaction process between family members and nurses. It helps family members and nurses to better understand each other. Although the data were collected 5 years ago, it is assumed that the interaction between family members and nurses has not changed during these years remarkably.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

According to the experiences of family members and nurses who participated in this research, emotional support manifests in Caring Interaction. Being aware of body language and behaviour of family members, nurses can better interact with them.

Nurse perceptions of family nursing during acute hospitalizations of older adult patients

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to describe nurses' critical appraisal of their family nursing practice and experience of interaction and reciprocity in the nurse-family relationship.

BACKGROUND

Nursing practice that is inclusive of family during hospitalizations of older adults with chronic illnesses benefits patients and families, as well as nurses. There is, however, a limited amount of research that has focused on nurses' perceptions of caring for older adult patients and their families who are managing chronic illness.

DESIGN

The Calgary Family Intervention Model guided this descriptive mixed-methods study.

METHODS

Registered nurses working on four medical-surgical units completed the Family Nursing Practice Scale (n = 60), which includes a quantitative scale and three open-ended questions.

RESULTS

The results showed positive perceptions from nurse participants overall with significant variation across study units in nurses' perceptions of interactions in the nurse-family relationship. Additionally qualitative results revealed several themes concerning the advantages and disadvantages of working with families, in addition to how nurses are currently including families in their practice.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides details concerning the advantages and disadvantages of working with families and how nurses currently strive to include families in their nursing practice. Although nurses in this study did espouse the importance of family nursing practice, they did point out a number of disadvantages. It is essential to understand the problems that can arise when working with families so that nurses are better able to manage these issues.