Expectations of relatives of Syrian patients in intensive care units in a state hospital in Turkey.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to describe the personal experiences of relatives of Syrian patients in the intensive care unit in one hospital in Turkey. The concept of the intensive care unit can be particularly frightening for family members. Current recommendations for training Intensive care unit nurses should support a holistic approach to patient (and family) care, including explanations at a level that families can easily understand and allowing family members to see the patient at regular intervals. This qualitative study was conducted between June and August 2014 and included a study sample of 30 Syrian family members related to patients receiving treatment at a state hospital intensive care unit in Turkey. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews. We used percentages to represent descriptive data and conducted qualitative content analysis. Following data analysis, six themes arose: (1) communication-related difficulties, (2) difficulties receiving information regarding the patient's condition, (3) difficulties meeting personal needs, (4) difficulties communicating with other family members, (5) difficulties receiving support from other family members, and (6) unmet expectations from nurses and hospital administration. Syrian patient's relatives receiving treatment in an intensive care unit in Turkey experienced communication difficulties in terms of receiving information from health care personnel, informing other family members, receiving social support from other family members, and having various unmet expectations from nurses and hospital administration. The results of this study can be used to develop guidelines and predictions for scenarios that are likely to arise for patients' relatives from foreign countries who arrive to support patients who receive healthcare services in our increasingly global world.