The experiences of nurses in providing psychosocial support to families of critically ill trauma patients in intensive care units - a study in the Durban metropolitan area

Abstract

Background: Critically injured trauma patients are often admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which can be a very unfamiliar and intimidating environment for their families. Health organizations have a responsibility to foster an environment that protects the physical and emotional health of the severely stressed family members who assemble in their facilities1. Purpose: The purpose of the research was to explore the experiences of ICU nurses in providing psychosocial support to families of critically ill trauma patients. Research approach: Using an interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological approach, two semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant to explore their experiences of providing psychological support to families in ICU. The study was conducted in the surgical ICUs of 2 private hospitals and 1 public hospital in the Durban metro area. Findings: There were four main themes which emerged from the data namely; cultural awareness, communication challenges, providing assistance and lack of training. Conclusion: These findings provide implications for practice that, if applied, would improve the ICU experience for both the nursing staff and the families they support.