Introduction: The family members of a patient admitted to a COVID Intensive Care Unit (COVID-ICU) could not communicate with and stay close to their loved one, which resulted in them becoming dependent on hospital staff for remote updates. Objective: To describe the lived experiences of families with a member admitted to a COVID-ICU. Methods: A phenomenological study was conducted. The subjects were interviewed with open-ended questions to allow them full freedom of expression. The researchers involved in the analysis immersed themselves in the data, independently reading and rereading the transcripts to gain a sense of the entire dataset. Results: Fourteen first-degree family members were recruited. Five main themes emerged: fear, detachment, life on standby, family-related loneliness in the COVID-ICU, and an unexpected event. Conclusions: Knowing the experience of families who have a relative in the COVID-ICU is essential for recognizing and reducing the risk of developing symptoms of post-intensive care syndrome.
Bartoli, D., Trotta, F., Simeone, S., Pucciarelli, G., Orsi, G.b., Acampora, O., et al. (2021). The lived experiences of family members of Covid-19 patients admitted to intensive care unit: A phenomenological study. HEART & LUNG, 50(6), 926-932 [10.1016/j.hrtlng.2021.08.002].
The lived experiences of family members of Covid-19 patients admitted to intensive care unit: A phenomenological study
Simeone S.;Pucciarelli G.;Di Muzio M.;
2021-01-01
Abstract
Introduction: The family members of a patient admitted to a COVID Intensive Care Unit (COVID-ICU) could not communicate with and stay close to their loved one, which resulted in them becoming dependent on hospital staff for remote updates. Objective: To describe the lived experiences of families with a member admitted to a COVID-ICU. Methods: A phenomenological study was conducted. The subjects were interviewed with open-ended questions to allow them full freedom of expression. The researchers involved in the analysis immersed themselves in the data, independently reading and rereading the transcripts to gain a sense of the entire dataset. Results: Fourteen first-degree family members were recruited. Five main themes emerged: fear, detachment, life on standby, family-related loneliness in the COVID-ICU, and an unexpected event. Conclusions: Knowing the experience of families who have a relative in the COVID-ICU is essential for recognizing and reducing the risk of developing symptoms of post-intensive care syndrome.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
