Staff perceptions of family access and visitation policies in Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Units: The WELCOME ICU SURVEY

Family-centred critical care recognises the impact of a loved one’s critical illness on his relatives. Open visiting is a strategy to improved family satisfaction and psychological outcomes by permitting unrestricted or less restricted access to visit their family member in the ICU. However, Increased family presence may result in increased workload and a risk of burnout for ICU staff.