AJCC
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

American Journal of Critical Care. 2009;18: 543-552 doi:10.4037/ajcc2009226
Copyright © 2009 by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Respond to This Article
Right arrow View Responses to This Article
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Related articles in AJCC
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Right arrow Take the CE Test
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mitchell, M.
Right arrow Articles by Foster, M.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mitchell, M.
Right arrow Articles by Foster, M.

CE Article

Positive Effects of a Nursing Intervention on Family-Centered Care in Adult Critical Care

By Marion Mitchell, B Nursing (Hons), GCert Higher Education, PhD, Wendy Chaboyer, B Science, M Nursing, PhD, Elizabeth Burmeister, BN, MS (biostatistics) and Michelle Foster, BN, MN (Critical Care). Marion Mitchell is the deputy head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Logan Campus, Research Centre Clinical and Community Practice Innovation, Griffith University, Meadowbrook, Queensland, Australia, and Wendy Chaboyer is the director of Research Centre Clinical and Community Practice Innovation. Elizabeth Burmeister is in the nursing practice and development unit at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia, and Michelle Foster is a nurse manager in the intensive care unit at Gold Coast Hospital, Southport, Queensland, Australia.

Corresponding author: Dr Marion Mitchell, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Logan Campus, Research Centre Clinical and Community Practice Innovation, Griffith University, Meadowbrook, Queensland, Australia 4131 (e-mail: Marion.mitchell{at}griffith.edu.au).

Background Generally, families of critical care patients are not actively involved in the patients’ care in meaningful ways. A family-centered care model formalizes each patient and the patient’s family as the unit of care. Family-centered care comprises 3 concepts: respect, collaboration, and support.

Objective To evaluate the effects on family-centered care of having critical care nurses partner with patients’ families to provide fundamental care to patients.

Methods At the control site, patients’ families experienced usual care; at the intervention site, patients’ families were invited to assist with some of their relative’s fundamental care with nurses’ support. The family-centered care survey was used to measure families’ perceptions of respect, collaboration, support, and overall family care at baseline and 48 hours later. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine independent predictors of scores.

Results A total of 174 family members of patients participated (75 control, 99 intervention). Total median scores on the survey were 3.2 (control) and 3.2 (intervention) at baseline and 3.2 (control) and 3.5 (intervention) at follow-up. After adjustments in the multivariate model, the family-centered care intervention was the strongest predictor of scores at 48 hours (odds ratio [OR]=1.66; P<.001). Other independent predictors included relatives with previous critical care experience (OR=1.27; P=.006) and those who were partners of the patient (OR=1.33; P=.002).

Conclusion Partnering with patients’ family members to provide fundamental care to the patients significantly improved the respect, collaboration, support, and overall scores on the family-centered care survey at 48 hours.

Notice to CE enrollees:A closed-book, multiple-choice examination following this article tests your understanding of the following objectives:
  1. Identify a family-centered care model and the 3 key indicators that comprise such a model.
  2. Describe ways in which a critical care nurse can partner with patients’ families to provide fundamental care to patients.
  3. Discuss the effects of family involvement in providing care to intensive care unit patients on their perceptions of respect, support, and collaboration.
To read this article and take the CE test online, visit www.ajcconline.org and click "CE Articles in This Issue." No CE test fee for AACN members.


Related articles in AJCC:

Clinical Pearls
Mary Jo Grap
AJCC 2009 18: 510. [Full Text]  



eLetters:

Read all eLetters

importance of rest in critical care
stephen stafford
AJCC Online, 3 Mar 2010 [Full text]

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2009 by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.