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Aims and Objectives: To systematically review interventions and outcomes regarding family participation in essential care in adult intensive care units., Background: Patients and relatives may benefit from family participation in essential care activities., Design: An integrative literature review., Methods: The following databases were systematically searched from inception to January 25, 2021: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane, Web of Science and reference lists of included articles. Studies were included when reporting on family participation in essential care activities in intensive care including interventions and outcomes. Quality of the studies was assessed with the Kmet Standard Quality Assessment Criteria. Interventions were assessed, using the TIDieR framework. Data were extracted and synthesised narratively., Results: A total of 6698 records were screened, and 322 full-text studies were assessed. Seven studies were included, describing an intervention to support family participation. Four studies had a pretest-posttest design, two were pilot feasibility studies and one was observational. The quality of the studies was poor to good, with Kmet-scores: 0.50-0.86 (possible score: 0-1, 1 being the highest). Five studies offered various essential care activities. One study provided sufficient intervention detail. Outcome measures among relatives varied from mental health symptoms to satisfaction, supportiveness, comfort level and experience. Two studies measured patient outcomes: delirium and pressure ulcers. Among ICU healthcare providers, perception, comfort level and experience were assessed. Since outcome measures varied, only narrative synthesis was possible. Family participation is associated with a reduction of anxiety and PTSD symptoms., Conclusion: Intervention descriptions of family participation in essential care activities are generally inadequate and do not allow comparison and replication. Participation of relatives was associated with a significant reduction in mental health symptoms. Other outcome measures varied, therefore, the use of additional outcome measures with validated measurement instruments should be considered., Relevance to Clinical Practice: The review contributed further insight into interventions aiming at family participation in essential care activities in the intensive care unit and their outcomes., No Patient or Public Contribution: Neither patients nor public were involved., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Family participation in essential care activities may benefit both patients and relatives., Objectives: In this integrative review, we aimed to identify needs, perceptions, preferences, and capacities regarding family participation in essential care in intensive care units (ICUs) from the patient's, relatives', and ICU healthcare providers' perspective., Review Method Used: An integrative review method was used., Data Sources: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and reference lists of included articles were searched, from inception to January 25, 2021., Review Methods: We included studies on family participation in essential care activities during ICU stay which reported associated needs, perceptions, preferences and capacities. Quality assessment was performed with the Kmet Standard Quality Assessment Criteria developed for evaluating primary research papers in a variety of fields, and an extensive qualitative thematic analysis was performed on the results., Results: Twenty-seven studies were included. Quality scores varied from 0.45 to 0.95 (range: 0-1). Patients' needs, perceptions, preferences, and capacities are largely unknown. Identified themes on needs and perceptions were relatives' desire to help the patient, a mostly positive attitude among all involved, stress regarding patient safety, perceived beneficial effects, relatives feeling in control-ICU healthcare providers' concerns about loss of control. Preferences for potential essential care activities vary. Relatives want an invitation and support from ICU healthcare providers. Themes regarding capacities were knowledge, skills, education and training, and organisational conditions., Conclusions: Implementation of family participation in essential care requires education and training of relatives and ICU healthcare providers to address safety and quality of care concerns, though most studies lack further specification., (Copyright © 2022 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)