Patient family needs: perception of Iranian intensive care nurses and families of patients admitted to ICUs

In the recent studies about patient family needs in deference society and cultures, a consensus has done about patient family needs definition. Inadequate attention to the needs of patient family causes inappropriate and incoherence care and increases conflict between patient family and caregivers. Attention to the needs of family of patients who are in crisis can lead to increase their sense of trust and support and can help them in getting their decisions in relation to their patient health. The aim of this study was comparison of the perception of nurses and families of patients admitted to the ICUs about the needs of families of patients in ICUs.

This was a cross-sectional descriptive comparative study which conducted in Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Convenience sampling was used and patient families of patients who admitted to ICUs and nurses who work in ICUs were participated in the study. The Critical Care Family Needs Inventory was used to data gathering. The patient families and nurses’ socio-demographic data were gathered as well. Data analyses were done by using SPSS version 18. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used.

Totally 105 patient families of ICU patients and 105 ICU nurses were participated in the study. Data analysis showed there were significant differences between patient families and nurses perception of ICU patient family needs (p<0.05). Data analysis according to deferent factors showed that except Comfort factor, the other factors including "Assurance and anxiety reduction", "Information", "Proximity and accessibility" and "Support" were significantly deferent between two groups (p<0.05).

Nurses’ appropriate perception of ICU patient family needs can lead to adopt the best approach to meet these needs and can help them to provide family based nursing care as well.