Date Available
7-24-2017
Year of Publication
2017
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Committee Chair
Dr. Melanie Hardin-Pierce
Clinical Mentor
Dr. Ashley Montgomery
Committee Member
Dr. Sheila Melander
Abstract
Background: In the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) family member satisfaction is an important element of quality patient care. Families of ICU patients value communication with care providers and involvement in their relative’s care.
Objectives:
1. To determine if scheduled family rounds each day can improve the satisfaction and feelings of support with decision-making for family members of ICU patients?
2. Evaluate any associations between patient characteristics (hospital length of stay, ICU length of stay, and ventilator days) and family satisfaction?
Methods: This pilot project was conducted in a 12-bed medical ICU led by advanced practice nurses (APRN-MICU). Using the family satisfaction in the ICU survey (FS-ICU), baseline data was collected from family members. Dedicated family rounds each afternoon were then implemented, after which another period of surveying occurred. Performance-importance plots were created to identify individual survey items that were highly correlated with satisfaction but received low scores.
Results: There were a total of 102 family members surveyed in the pre-intervention and post-intervention periods. Although families reported high levels of satisfaction, after the intervention a non-significant decrease in FS-ICU scores (p=0.144) were observed. Satisfaction regarding the ease of getting information decreased after family rounds (p=0.012). Individual items identified using performance-importance plots did not indicate improvement after the intervention. Patient length of stay, ICU length of stay, and ventilator days were not correlated with family member satisfaction with care.
Conclusion: Process measures to track the fidelity of the intervention are crucial to determine effectiveness. Expectations among APRN-MICU families were likely unmet. The FS-ICU alone lacks the sensitivity to assess differences in ICU family satisfaction.
Recommended Citation
Klein, Travis R., "Family Rounds in the Medical Intensive Care Unit: An Intervention to Enhance Communication" (2017). DNP Projects. 152.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/dnp_etds/152
