PapersFlow Research Brief
Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units
Research Guide
What is Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units?
Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units refers to family-centered care practices in ICUs that integrate family presence, address family needs, and incorporate patient-centered approaches during critical illness.
This field encompasses 48,560 works focused on family presence, patient-centered care, ICU visiting policies, nursing interventions, resuscitation involving families, and healthcare communication. Key studies examine recovery influences like natural views and guidelines for pain, agitation, delirium, immobility, and sleep in adult ICU patients. Research also addresses long-term outcomes for ICU survivors and their families, including functional disability and end-of-life discussions.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
Family Presence During Resuscitation
This sub-topic examines the protocols, outcomes, and psychological impacts of allowing family members to be present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in ICUs. Researchers study clinician attitudes, family satisfaction, and effects on resuscitation success rates.
ICU Visiting Policies and Family Satisfaction
This area investigates flexible vs. restrictive visiting hours in ICUs and their correlation with family well-being and patient recovery. Studies analyze policy changes post-COVID and their measurable impacts on stress levels.
Family Needs Assessment in Critical Care
Researchers develop and validate tools like the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory to identify and prioritize informational, emotional, and support needs of ICU families. This includes longitudinal studies on need evolution during patient stays.
Nursing Interventions for Family-Centered Care
This sub-topic covers nurse-led strategies such as family education programs, support groups, and involvement in care planning within ICUs. Research evaluates intervention efficacy through randomized trials and qualitative feedback.
Healthcare Communication in Family ICU Involvement
Studies focus on communication training for ICU staff, including shared decision-making and end-of-life discussions with families. It explores barriers like jargon and cultural differences in multilingual settings.
Why It Matters
Family and patient care in ICUs impacts recovery, long-term health, and family well-being through targeted interventions. "View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery" by Roger S. Ulrich (1984) analyzed 23 surgical patients and found that window views of natural settings reduced analgesic use and hospital stay length compared to brick wall views. "Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the ICU" by John W. Devlin et al. (2018) provides evidence-based strategies adopted by 32 international experts to improve patient outcomes. "Improving long-term outcomes after discharge from intensive care unit" by Dale M. Needham et al. (2011) outlines collaboration between inpatient and outpatient practitioners to enhance survivor and family recovery, addressing themes like physical and psychological sequelae noted in 2731-cited work on ARDS disability.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the ICU" by John W. Devlin et al. (2018), as it provides foundational, evidence-based protocols directly applicable to patient care in ICUs with family considerations.
Key Papers Explained
"View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery" by Roger S. Ulrich (1984) establishes environmental impacts on recovery, informing patient-centered design. "Clinical Practice Guidelines..." by John W. Devlin et al. (2018) builds on this with comprehensive ICU management protocols, including delirium from "Delirium in elderly people" by Sharon K. Inouye et al. (2013). "Improving long-term outcomes after discharge from intensive care unit" by Dale M. Needham et al. (2011) extends these to post-discharge family support, connecting to SUPPORT trials by Alfred F. Connors et al. (1995) on end-of-life care.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Research emphasizes collaboration for ICU survivors as in Needham et al. (2011), with focus on persistent disability from Herridge et al. (2011) and end-of-life adjustments from Wright (2008). No recent preprints or news available, so frontiers remain in integrating family needs with early therapy outcomes from Schweickert et al. (2009).
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery | 1984 | Science | 5.0K | ✕ |
| 2 | Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management... | 2018 | Critical Care Medicine | 3.6K | ✕ |
| 3 | Delirium in elderly people | 2013 | The Lancet | 3.4K | ✓ |
| 4 | Early physical and occupational therapy in mechanically ventil... | 2009 | The Lancet | 3.2K | ✓ |
| 5 | The Journal of Family Practice | 1997 | American Journal of Fa... | 3.1K | ✕ |
| 6 | A controlled trial to improve care for seriously ill hospitali... | 1995 | JAMA | 2.8K | ✕ |
| 7 | Functional Disability 5 Years after Acute Respiratory Distress... | 2011 | New England Journal of... | 2.7K | ✓ |
| 8 | Associations Between End-of-Life Discussions, Patient Mental H... | 2008 | JAMA | 2.7K | ✓ |
| 9 | Improving long-term outcomes after discharge from intensive ca... | 2011 | Critical Care Medicine | 2.4K | ✕ |
| 10 | A Controlled Trial to Improve Care for Seriously III Hospitali... | 1995 | JAMA | 2.3K | ✕ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are clinical practice guidelines for pain and agitation in ICU patients?
The "Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the ICU" by John W. Devlin et al. (2018) updates prior guidelines with input from 32 experts and four methodologists. These guidelines cover pain management, agitation/sedation, delirium prevention, immobility reduction, and sleep improvement in adult ICU patients. They emphasize multidisciplinary approaches to enhance patient-centered care.
How does family involvement affect end-of-life care in ICUs?
"Associations Between End-of-Life Discussions, Patient Mental Health, Medical Care Near Death, and Caregiver Bereavement Adjustment" by Alexi A. Wright (2008) links end-of-life discussions to less aggressive care and earlier hospice referrals. Such discussions improve patient quality of life near death and caregiver bereavement adjustment. This supports family-centered communication in critical care.
What influences recovery in ICU surgical patients?
"View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery" by Roger S. Ulrich (1984) examined cholecystectomy recovery records from 1972-1981 in a Pennsylvania hospital. Patients with natural window views showed shorter hospital stays and less analgesic need than those with brick wall views. Environmental factors thus aid patient recovery in ICU settings.
How can long-term ICU outcomes be improved for patients and families?
"Improving long-term outcomes after discharge from intensive care unit" by Dale M. Needham et al. (2011) recommends collaboration between inpatient and outpatient practitioners. Strategies address major themes from conferences to enhance survivor physical, psychological, and family outcomes. This builds on observations of persistent disability five years post-ARDS.
What role does early therapy play in mechanically ventilated ICU patients?
"Early physical and occupational therapy in mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients: a randomised controlled trial" by William D. Schweickert et al. (2009) demonstrates benefits of early intervention. It improves physical outcomes in critically ill patients on ventilators. Such therapy supports patient-centered care in ICUs.
Why do end-of-life interventions matter for seriously ill patients?
"A controlled trial to improve care for seriously ill hospitalized patients. The study to understand prognoses and preferences for outcomes and risks of treatments (SUPPORT)" by Alfred F. Connors et al. (1995) observed shortcomings in care during phase I. Phase II intervention aimed to enhance patient-physician communication but did not fully improve outcomes. It highlights needs in family-involved decision-making.
Open Research Questions
- ? How can family presence during resuscitation be standardized across ICUs without increasing staff burden?
- ? What specific nursing interventions best meet family needs during prolonged ICU stays?
- ? Which communication strategies most effectively reduce delirium in elderly ICU patients with family involvement?
- ? How do visiting policies influence long-term psychological outcomes for both patients and families post-ICU?
- ? What metrics best evaluate the impact of patient-centered care on functional recovery after ARDS?
Recent Trends
The field includes 48,560 works with no specified 5-year growth rate.
High-citation papers like Devlin et al. (2018, 3591 citations) and Needham et al. (2011, 2449 citations) indicate sustained focus on guidelines and long-term outcomes.
No recent preprints or news in the last 12 months reported.
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