Video Visitation Research Articles

Best Practices in Supporting Inpatient Communication With Technology During Visitor Restrictions: An Integrative Review.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers around the world have experimented with technologies to facilitate communication and care for patients and their care partners. Our team reviewed the literature to examine best practices in utilizing technology to support communication between nurses, patients, and care partners while visitation is limited. We searched four major databases for recent articles on this topic, conducted a systematic screening and review of 1902 articles, and used the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Model & Guidelines to appraise and translate the results of 23 relevant articles. Our evaluation yielded three main findings from the current literature: (1) Virtual contact by any technological means, especially video visitation, improves satisfaction, reduces anxiety, and is well-received by the target populations. (2) Structured video rounding provides effective communication among healthcare workers, patients, and offsite care partners. (3) Institutional preparation, such as a standardized checklist and dedicating staff to roles focused on facilitating communication, can help healthcare workers create environments conducive to therapeutic virtual communication. In situations that require healthcare facilities to limit visitation between patients and their care partners, the benefits of virtual visitation are evident. There is variance in the types of technologies used to facilitate virtual visits, but across all of them, there are consistent themes demonstrating the benefits of virtual visits and virtual rounding. Healthcare institutions can prepare for future limited-visitation scenarios by reviewing the current evidence and integrating virtual visitation into modern healthcare delivery.

A preliminary study of the effectiveness of video visitation on depression and stress in mothers with preterm infants during the pandemic

Background and purposeParents of preterm infants experience anxiety and stress in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Visitation restrictions due to COVID-19 have increased maternal pressure and limited bonding opportunities. Little research exists in Taiwan on using video conferencing as a solution. This study investigates depression and stress levels in mothers of preterm infants and evaluates the effectiveness of video visitation during NICU restrictions. MethodsThis study adopts a cross-sectional design and a qualitative survey. Mothers of premature infants were recruited and they participated in the study. Interventions for video visits were scheduled on the third day of admission to the NICU (T1) and during the second week of the study (T2). After each video visit, participants completed an online survey. The study's online survey used structured questionnaires including demographics, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Parental Stress Scale (PSS): Infant Hospitalization (IH). ResultsA total of 51 mothers of preterm infants participated in the study. During the T1 and T2 periods, single mothers with lower educational levels and those aged below 30 experienced depression and high levels of stress. Lower birth weight and gestational age were associated with maternal depression. Video visitation intervention led to a significant decrease in depression scores (EPDS, T1: 11.3 ± 5.5 vs. T2: 10.1 ± 5.2, p = 0.039). Positive correlations were observed between EPDS and PSS: IH scores (p < 0 .005). ConclusionVideo visitation intervention can reduce maternal depression in mothers with preterm infants. Since it is practical, video visitation may be applied even after the pandemic.

The future of prison visits? An autoethnographic perspective on the developments of the digitisation of prison visits during COVID-19

This article explores the current status, evolution, and envisaged future of prison visits, analysing the shift in paradigm from traditional models to an increasingly digital format that demands specific policy amendments and fosters an empathetic approach towards incarceration. The discourse begins with an in-depth examination of the current prison visitation models, delving into the strengths, weaknesses, and potential of both in-person and video visitations. This exploration uncovers the critical shortcomings of in-person visits, such as limited accessibility due to geographical and logistical constraints, and the rising potential of video visits to bridge these gaps. Simultaneously, we highlight the challenges in implementing video visitation systems, focusing on issues such as equitable access to technology, appropriate surveillance, and privacy regulations. It underscores the need for considering both sides of the coin, i.e., the convenience and feasibility of video visits versus the potential risks to the privacy and dignity of incarcerated people and their families. The article then delves into the policy considerations necessary to ensure a smooth transition to video visitations, exploring regulatory and statutory amendments needed to safeguard incarcerated individuals' rights and ensure a more humane prison system. The analysis uncovers a pressing need for a robust framework that not only respects privacy rights and promotes familial ties but also supports an important goal of prisons – effective rehabilitation of incarcerated people. Proposing an idealised future model for prison visits, the discourse presents a hybrid approach that skilfully combines the strengths of both in-person and video connections. This innovative model reimagines the future of prison visits, suggesting a shift from punitive and impersonal methods to empathetic and relationship-focused practices that align with contemporary understandings of rehabilitation.

What can the development of video visitation in Australian correctional centres tell us about organisational transformation?

ABSTRACT Correctional services are closed, complex bureaucratic organisations which are historically slow to embrace change. Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic catalysed a dramatic shift to widespread video visitation across correctional services in Australia. Drawing on qualitative data with corrective services staff (n = 19) from six jurisdictions (Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and West Australia), this article charts the large-scale implementation of video visitation during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is argued that video visitation demonstrates uncharacteristic organisational agility in Australian corrective services which may provide optimism for change projects.

The effect of video visitation on intensive care unit patients and family members outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomised controlled trial

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of video visitation on intensive care patients’ and family members’ outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. DesignThis is a randomised controlled trial. SettingAn adult intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital in Beijing, China. MethodsA total of 121 adults, who were >18 years of age, conscious, able to communicate verbally, and admitted to the intensive care unit for over 24 hours were randomised into the intervention (video visitation) (n = 65) and control (n = 56) Groups. A total of 98 family members participated. Patient primary outcomes included anxiety and depression, measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Secondary outcomes included patient delirium and family anxiety assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method scale and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, respectively; and patient and family satisfaction, measured using a questionnaire routinely used in the hospital. ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences between the groups in patients’ anxiety (t = 1.328, p = 0.187) and depression scores (t = 1.569, p = 0.119); and no statistically significant differences in delirium incidence between the groups (7.7 % vs 7.1 %, p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in changes in family members’ anxiety scores (t = 0.496, p = 0.621). A statistically significant difference in satisfaction was found between the two group patients (86.1 % vs 57.2 % of patients were satisfied with using video visitation, p < 0.05), and the result of family members’ satisfaction was also statistically significant (88 % vs 62.5 % of family members were satisfied with using video visitation, p < 0.05). ConclusionVideo visitation did not seem to influence anxiety, but the use of video visitation can improve the patient and their family members’ satisfaction. Future research is needed to determine the feasibility of embedding video visitation into routine practice, and the optimal frequency and length of video visitation in relation to patients’ and family members’ outcomes. Implications for clinical practiceVideo visitation improved patient and family members' satisfaction. Therefore, clinicians should consider using video visitation when face to face visit is restricted. Video visVitation did not reduce patient anxiety significantly in this study maybe because the average length of intensive care stay was too short. Future research is needed on its effect on long term intensive care patients.

Impact of a resident and student-led video visitation navigation program

BackgroundMany institutions implemented telehealth initiatives to provide social support for patients during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. Little is known about the impact of these programs on patient support persons and the trainees who facilitated them.ObjectiveTo assess perceptions of a resident physician and medical student-driven video visit program.MethodsWe designed and implemented a trainee-led video visit navigation program across three affiliated urban hospitals to facilitate video visits between patients and their support persons. We used descriptive statistics to understand the patient population served by the program and employed surveys for support persons and trainees to assess attitudes on the program.ResultsFrom April to June 2020, a total of 443 video visits were completed. Surveys were conducted for 101 out of 184 (54.9%) support persons and 39 out of 65 (60.0%) of medical trainees. Surveys demonstrated that video visits helped alleviate the stress and anxiety of support persons having a hospitalized loved one they could not visit. For trainees, facilitating these connections helped mitigate stress and provided a mechanism to contribute to the pandemic response.ConclusionTelehealth navigation programs provide high levels of connection for patients and their support persons during the COVID-19 pandemic and potentially beyond. Residents and medical students involved in these initiatives mobilized telehealth modalities to improve experiences with care delivery.

Impact of COVID-19 on resource families: Unique challenges and strengths

The emergence of COVID-19 forced significant adaptations for families worldwide. Children and youth in foster care and their caregivers or resource parents experience unique stressors. The current study aimed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and “Safer-at-Home” orders on resource parents in Los Angeles County. Resource parents (n = 648) were surveyed about COVID-19 concerns, positive impact and strengths, access to and helpfulness of provided resources, visits with birth parents, children joining their families during the pandemic, and transition to telehealth. Between one-third and half of resource parents with foster or foster-adoptive children in their home reported significant anxiety about issues such as getting infected, uncertainty about the future, and financial hardship. In contrast, most resource parents reported some perceived benefits, such as increased family closeness. The most helpful resource reported was video visitation by social workers. A quarter of resource parents experienced in-person birth parent visits. Developmentally, parents with a foster or fosteradoptive child 0–5 years old reported significantly more worries related to COVID-19, while those with children of multiple ages reported feeling less valued as a resource parent and expressed more concerns about children falling behind with school, mental health and developmental services, birth parent visits, and delayed reunification. Lastly, younger parental age, fewer foster children in the home, and the less negative impact from COVID-19 a resource parent reported having were associated with an increased likelihood of resource parents welcoming a child into their home. Implications for policy and recommendations for practice are discussed.

Impact of a Parent Video Viewing Program in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Purpose: Video visits, or televisits, have become increasingly popular across various medical subspecialties. Within the University of California, Davis, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a video visitation program known as FamilyLink allows families to remotely view their babies when they are otherwise unable to visit. This study aimed to explore parents' perceived effects of video camera use as well as the relationship of video visit use with rates of breast milk feedings at hospital discharge. Materials and Methods: Families enrolled in this study completed a series of two identical surveys that gathered self-reported data on their experiences during their infant's hospitalization. Comparisons were made considering whether the FamilyLink program was utilized during the admission as well as changes in self-reported experiences over the time course of the hospital admission. The type of enteral feeding at discharge was recorded and reviewed for each baby. Results: Of 100 families enrolled in the study, 30 were found to have used FamilyLink to visit with their baby. The use of FamilyLink was associated with survey findings of sustained intention to breastfeed or provide breast milk to the baby, as well as increased perceived parental involvement in the baby's care. Improved rates of breast milk feedings at the time of discharge were also found among babies whose families conducted televisits using FamilyLink. Conclusions: Video viewing in the NICU has effected a positive impact on breast milk feedings and parents' feelings of involvement during the admission, with the potential to further improve on families' experiences with a hospitalized baby.

Just as Good as the Real Thing? The Effects of Prison Video Visitation on Recidivism

While research has consistently shown that in-person prison visitation is associated with reduced recidivism, much less is known about the effects of video visits. This study compares recidivism outcomes between 885 inmates who had at least one video visit and a matched comparison group of 885 who did not receive a virtual visit. Video visits reduced two measures of recidivism (general and felony reconvictions) but did not have a significant effect on the other two measures (violent reconviction and technical violation revocations). As the number of video visits increased, so did the size of the recidivism reduction, at least for general and felony reoffending. Despite the generally favorable impact on recidivism, video visitation was used sparingly by Minnesota’s prison population.

"This Video Call May Be Monitored and Recorded"

This article argues that the implementation of video visitation in correctional facilities is a mechanism of control used to enact punitive measures for regulating mothers who act outside the dominant paradigms of motherhood. Because prisons were designed to surveil and mothers have historically been surveilled by institutions, incarcerated mothers are often overlooked when we discuss the surveillance methods used to keep institutionalized motherhood intact. This article builds on existing scholarship characterizing surveillance technology’s role in criminalizing poor mothers of color, and considers the ways in which surveillance technology is used to normalize these mothers during their incarceration. Applying a Foucauldian framework, this article explores how adapting Video Visitation (VV)—a Skype-like video chat program—enables correctional facilities to extend the role of “watcher” and expand the panoptic gaze, which prompts mother-to-mother surveillance and intensifies self-surveillance. The article concludes by drawing attention to VV’s structure and its ability to expand correctional facilities’ surveillance to the children of incarcerated mothers.

Far from Home and All Alone: The Impact of Prison Visitation on Recidivism

Abstract Tightening corrections budgets, the lack of a legal right to in-person prison visitation, and the increasing availability of video visitation have led many prison and jail administrators to consider limiting opportunities for in-person visitation. This is concerning given the large literature which argues inmates receiving in-person visits are less likely to recidivate upon release. On the other hand, these studies have not determined whether this relationship is causal or is instead driven by the correlation between receiving visits and having a network of family and friends that can offer support upon release. In this article, I estimate the causal effect of in-person visitation on recidivism using unique, administrative data from the Iowa Department of Corrections. I find that visitation itself, as currently implemented in Iowa, has no impact on recidivism. Instead, my results suggest prison policies that create meaningful support networks available to prisoners upon release may yield significant benefits.

‘Not feeling like a caged animal:’ prisoner perceptions of a remote video visitation system

ABSTRACT In recent years, correctional agencies have increased their use of video visitation in an effort to offset costs and increase security, among other objectives. In the present study, interviews (N = 12) and surveys (N = 58) were conducted with prisoners at a jail in the Northwestern U.S. that had replaced in-person, glass partition visitation with remote video visitation. The results suggested that while there were positive aspects of video visitation, such as the ability to visit with loved ones from afar, there were criticisms as well, including technological and access issues. The policy implications of the findings and directions for future research on video visitation are discussed.

The benefits and challenges of visitation practices in correctional settings: Will video visitation assist incarcerated fathers and their children?

Increased incarceration over the last thirty years has dismantled family structures, leaving many low-income African-American fathers physically separated from their children. Jails, in particular, serve as the gateway to imprisonment, holding one-third of the adult incarcerated population, and have grown nearly as rapidly as the state prison population. As the gateway to imprisonment, jails can serve a crucial role in facilitating or impeding communication among fathers and their children if facilities' visitation policies and practices are family-focused. In this article, we find that early and frequent visitation benefits incarcerated fathers (e.g. fathers' role identity, reduced misconduct, and positive reentry outcomes) and their children (e.g. maintain familial structure, family reunification, and reduced trauma from separation). We discuss that visitation policies vary across facility types and within states. Additionally, we find that family-focused visitation practices are diminishing and that a new form of visitation through video technology has emerged, which is often less-regulated in jails. Finally, we conclude with existing and proposed policy implications at the local, state, and federal levels.

Application of WeChat video visitation model in children patients without accompanying in NICU

Objective To explore the application of WeChat video visitation model in children patients without accompanying in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and seek methods to reduce the anxiety of parentsthat whose children have nocompany. Methods Totally 100 parents of children that admitted in the NICU of our hospital from April 2016 to December 2015 were selected and divided into the experimental group (WeChat video group) and the control group (limited access group) with 50 cases in each group according to the random number table method. The control group adopted limited visitation, and the experimental group adopted WeChat video visitation model based on the limited visitation. Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self satisfaction questionnaire were used to collect data before the hospitalization and after discharge for statistical analysis. Parents′ anxiety status and satisfaction with nursing work in two groups were compared. Results There was no significant difference between two groups when children were admitted to hospital (t=1.72, P>0.05); the anxiety scores of parents in the experimental group at first visit and after discharge were obviously reduced, in the experimental group, and they were (51.35±7.38) and (23.55±3.43); while in the control group, they were (59.68±842), (26.36±3.97)(t=-2.86, 2.22; P<0.05); in the experimental group, parents′ satisfaction rate was 100%, and was higher than that in the control group (88%) (t=6.383, P<0.05). Conclusions WeChat video visitation can effectively relieve the anxiety of parents that whose children have no company, so it is conducive to the rehabilitation of children. It can resolve many of the potential conflicts and disputes and improve parents′s atisfaction. Parents′ passive visitation change to the initiative model and the visiting management cost is reduced, and it provides a new and effective method for the management of children without company. Key words: Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU); Children patient; Parents; WeChat video visitation; No accompanying

Inmate Visitation: Visitor Preferences Regarding the Best Visitation Modality for Children

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study is to explore correctional facility visitation practices with regard to children. Visitors were asked their opinions about their decision to allow children to visit inmates and whether that decision could be influenced by the availability of different visitation modalities. Visitors from three jails offer opinions about the experiences of children visiting via three different modalities: those who visit face-to-face with Plexiglas between child and visitor, those using on-site video visitation from the lobby of a facility, and those using remote video visitation where the visitor utilizes a personal computer and video camera to connect with the inmate. Results indicate that, despite many advantages of in-person visitation, remote video visitation may be best for children.

The effect of families of education on families of ICU patients on the video visitation compliance and satisfaction

Objective To explore the effect of families of education on families of ICU patients on the video visitation compliance and satisfaction. Methods From March 2013 to September 60 cases of families of ICU patients as control group, October 2013 to March 2014 60 cases of family members of patients as the observation group. In the observation group, at the time of daily visiting hours management team informed and communicated with the families comprehensively and detailedly. In control group using entering room education, guided visits by the staff to put the video when visiting family members and seeking medical communication etc.Video visitation compliance, patient turnover within three days,asking illness frequency and satisfaction for video were compared between two groups. Results Visitation compliance, satisfaction in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, turnround rate within 3 days,asking the illness frequency were obviously lower than those in the control group, the difference was statistically significant(P< 0.05). Conclusions The implementation of the systematic, comprehensive and detailed educaiton for the families of ICU patients can significantly improve the video visitation compliance, reduce turnover rate within 3 days,significantly reduce their families frequently reception for asking, which will help medical staff to spend more time back to the patient, improve satisfaction. Key words: ICU; Education for families; Video visitation; Compliance; Satisfaction

The Double Edged Sword of Prison Video Visitation: Claiming to Keep Families Together While Furthering the Aims of the Prison Industrial Complex

Each year, the United States (“U.S.”) spends billions to house the country’s massive prison population. The need to board over 2.3 million incarcerated human beings has U.S. correctional departments looking for ways to increase revenues and offset costs. According to these correctional agencies, one major expense is prison visitation. In order to reduce spending and alleviate safety concerns, U.S. federal, state, and private correctional facilities have turned to video visitation as an alternative to in-person visits.The use of prison video visitation systems started in 1995. Since then, many private telecommunications companies have professed to have the solution to correctional visitation problems. These companies promote video visitation as a cheap, safe, and easy alternative to in-person visits, as well as a profitable means of generating revenues. Government and private correctional institutions, buying into these endorsements, have reduced or completely eliminated face-to-face visits and installed video visitation systems within their walls. Under this structure, inmates use video stations in their cellblock to visit family and friends at corresponding video kiosks within the institution; or inmates visit loved-ones who are at home or elsewhere outside prison walls via computer Internet video visitation.In order to sell this method of visitation to the public, U.S. correctional agencies contend that video visitation helps to keep families together by allowing inmates greater contact opportunities with loved ones. In some regards, it may be argued that video visitation does assist in the preservation of family units. Inmates are often forced to serve time in prisons miles away from their homes, so outside visits are far and few between. Yet, through the use of in-home video visitation configurations, inmates are able to connect with relatives who reside hours away.At first glance, this visitation scheme may seem beneficial, but this Article argues that prison video visitation is a double edge sword. First, prison video visitation may help preserve family units while people are incarcerated, but the elimination of face-to-face visits robs inmates of much needed human contact with their children, spouses, and other family members. Second, almost all in-home prison video visitation systems exploit the relatives and friends of inmates because they charge excessive fees to visit. Third, the economic success of prison video visitation systems is contingent on the number of incarcerated humans. So, like other profiteering schemes of the Prison Industrial Complex (“PIC”), prison video visitation incentivizes incarceration: A decrease in the prison population has a corollary effect on million dollar revenues and corporate profits, hence compelling the need to detain more U.S. inhabitants.Consequently, this Article argues that face-to-face visitation should be the primary means of contact for families that visit at prison facilities. In order to accomplish this goal, inmates must be assigned to correctional facilities close to their homes if space is available and there is no proven risk to security. Additionally, if prison video visitation is utilized, any fees associated with its use must be regulated to insure that the financial expense is not exorbitant.

Research progress of video visitation system applied in ICU

As a new-style visitation model,video visitation system has been widely used in ICU.This paper summarized the research status such as the constitution of the system,the function,the way of visitation and nursing,etc.It also analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the system to provide authentic evidence for the using in future. Key words: Video visitation system; ICU

Prison Visitation Policies: A Fifty State Survey

This paper presents a summary of the findings from the first fifty-state survey of prison visitation policies. Our research explores the contours of how prison administrators exercise their discretion to prescribe when and how prisoners may have contact with friends and family.Visitation policies impact recidivism, inmates’ and their families’ quality of life, public safety, and prison security, transparency and accountability. Yet many policies are inaccessible to visitors and researchers. Given the wide-ranging effects of visitation, it is important to understand the landscape of visitation policies and then, where possible, identify best practices and uncover policies that may be counterproductive or constitutionally infirm. Comparative analysis of the sort we have undertaken will, we hope, not only inform academics but empower regulators and administrators of prisons to implement thoughtful reforms.Our paper and data set allow for state-by-state comparison across a group of common categories of visitation-related policies. In addition, we identify commonalities and variation in the categories we tracked, and also documented outlier policies revealed in the course of our research. We worked with the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) to track down difficult-to-find policy documents, and received written feedback from nearly all fifty state departments of corrections to ensure accuracy.The paper is organized as follows. Part I describes the methodology we employed and considers its potential limitations. Part II provides our key substantive findings, presents a few highlights of the data, and discusses the basic commonalities of the policies, while noting the divergence in other key areas. Part III provides a detailed description of two sub-policy areas within visitation regulations. Here we analyze in more detail the range of approaches that states take to two contrasting forms of visitation: video visitation and overnight family (“conjugal”) visitation. Part IV outlines possible next steps for research on this topic.

Please Remember Me: Unintended Consequences Affecting Children of the Incarcerated

This article explores the ways in which one local church community responded to the devastating effects of parental incarceration. In their efforts to reverse the jail trail, New Canaan International Church in Richmond, Virginia established a non-profit agency, New Jubilee to promote resilience in children and families from risk environments. Initiatives include a partnership with the Virginia Department of Corrections to offer video visitation to inmates and families. In addition, a mentor program is available for children between the ages of 4-18 who have a parent incarcerated in a state or federal institution. public is often misinformed about the nature and extent of Media accounts tend to exacerbate this problem and fuel the public's already misinformed opinions, while politicians capitalize on the public's frequent demands that be done about crime. Unfortunately, this get tough approach, primarily begun in the 1980's, appears to have produced for the children of the incarcerated in an effort to satisfy the public's demand for safer communities. Upon examination of the exploding prison population, it certainly seems that something has indeed been done - offenders have been increasingly sentenced to prison. According to the Sentencing Project, a national organization which promotes reform in sentencing, there has been a 500 percent increase in the number of prison sentences over the past thirty years. Meanwhile, interestingly enough, criminologists claim that crime at its lowest point in thirty years (1). After providing a brief review of the impact that incarceration has on children, our primary focus is to highlight the needs, resilience and coping mechanisms of these children. We provide illustrative examples of two community-based programs where the Virginia Department of Corrections and a local church in Richmond, Virginia serve the community by responding to families of the incarcerated. In general, governmental policies produce consequences, both positive and negative. In his paper published in 1936 titled The Unintended Consequences of Purposive Social Action, the prominent sociologist, Robert K. Merton, analyzed consequences, positing that they are unanticipated outcomes of social action. Merton (1936) popularizes the phrase unintended consequences and further describes a variety of sources for them, such as ignorance, error, immediate interest, basic values, and self-