1. The impact of visiting restrictions in intensive care units for families during the COVID-19 pandemic: An integrative review.
- Author
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Mailer, Jackie, Ward, Kim, and Aspinall, Cathleen
- Subjects
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FAMILIES & psychology , *NURSE-patient relationships , *PSYCHOLOGICAL distress , *CINAHL database , *QUESTIONNAIRES , *VISITING the sick , *PATIENT advocacy , *SYSTEMATIC reviews , *THEMATIC analysis , *MEDLINE , *ISOLATION (Hospital care) , *INTENSIVE care units , *COMMUNICATION , *FAMILY-centered care , *ONLINE information services , *COVID-19 pandemic , *PREVENTIVE health services , *ADULTS - Abstract
Aim: To synthesize current evidence about the impact visiting restrictions in adult intensive care units have on family members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: Integrative literature review. Methods: A total of 104 articles were retrieved. Screening yielded a total of 23 articles which were appraised for quality. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied to synthesize findings and extract themes. Data Sources: CINAHL Plus, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed and ProQuest databases were searched for articles between January 2020 and November 2022. Results: The findings were grouped into two main themes with six subthemes. Theme 1: not being present at the bedside, and Theme 2: altered communication added to family members' distress. Findings indicate that visiting restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic had negative consequences for family members. Conclusion: The patient and their family are inherently connected, prioritizing family presence with the return of flexible, open visitation policies in ICU must be a priority to mitigate further harm and adverse outcomes for all. Reporting Method: The review complies with the PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic reviews. Implications for Profession: Nursing leaders must be included in the development of future pandemic policies that advocate family-centred care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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