Relatives' experience of intensive care: the other side of hospitalization

Authors

  • Urizzi Fabiane Santa Casa; Intensive Therapy Center
  • Adriana Katia Corrêa University of São Paulo; Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692007000400012

Keywords:

family, intensive care, qualitative research

Abstract

This study aims at understanding the experience concerning family members of patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with the purpose of contributing to care humanization in this context. Considering the nature of the research object, this research was carried out to understand the phenomenon Being a family that experiences the hospitalization of a family member in ICU. Phenomenology was used as a methodological reference framework. Seventeen family members of adult patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Santa Casa in Londrina were interviewed from September to December 2004. Through analysis of these interviews, some theme categories emerged: difficult, painful, speechless experience; experiencing and recognizing somebody's life: approaching the patient's suffering; break-up of the family's daily routine; fear of having a family member die; ICU: a fearsome scene, but necessary; concern with family care. Some issues related to the family's attendance in the ICU were discussed, contributing to the establishment of humanized care delivery to critical patients and their families' uniqueness.

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Published

2007-08-01

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 4 (2007)

Section

Original Articles

License

RLAE’s authorship concept is based on the substantial contribution by each of the individuals listed as authors, mainly in terms of conceiving and planning the research project, collecting or analyzing and interpreting data, writing and critical review. Indication of authors’ names under the article title is limited to six. If more, authors are listed on the online submission form under Acknowledgements. The possibility of including more than six authors will only be examined on multicenter studies, considering the explanations presented by the authors.
Including names of authors whose contribution does not fit into the above criteria cannot be justified. Those names can be included in the Acknowledgements section.
 Authors are fully responsible for the concepts disseminated in their manuscripts, which do not necessarily reflect the editors’ and editorial board’s opinion.

 

How to Cite

Fabiane, U., & Corrêa, A. K. (2007). Relatives’ experience of intensive care: the other side of hospitalization. Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 15(4), 598-604. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692007000400012