What is supportive when an adult next-of-kin is in critical care?

• There is little documented knowledge about what is supportive from the perspective of relatives with a critically ill next-of-kin in the intensive care unit (ICU). The aim of the present study was to generate a theoretical understanding of what relatives experience as supportive when faced with the situation of having an adult next-of-kin admitted to critical care. The study was designed using a grounded theory methodology. Interviews were conducted with 29 adult relatives of adult ICU patients in southwest Sweden. Relatives described the need to be empowered and that support was needed to enable them to use both internal and external resources to cope with having a next-of-kin in critical care. To achieve empowerment, the relatives described the need to trust in oneself, to encounter charity and to encounter professionalism. The findings can contribute understanding and sensitivity to the situation of the relatives as well as indicating what form social support should take. It is essential that healthcare professionals understand how important it is for relatives to have control over their vulnerable situation and that they also reflect upon how they would like to be treated themselves in a similar situation. Recommendations for future practice are presented.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

critical care

empowerment

family

grounded theory

resources

support

psychological adaptation

adult

aged

attitude to health

critical care

empathy

female

helping behavior

humans

male

middle aged

psychological models

needs assessment

nurse's role

nursing methodology research

nursing staff

professional competence

professional-family relations

qualitative research

questionnaires

self efficacy

social support

Sweden

trust

visitors to patients

MEDICINE

Nursing

Vårdvetenskap

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)