Family members' experience of intensive care unit support group: qualitative analysis of intervention

Abstract

Background: Family members of intensive care unit patients develop anxiety, depression and/or symptoms suggestive of risk for post-traumatic stress. Nurse-led support groups have been recommended and used in a variety of settings as a mechanism to help meet family needs and overcome challenges. These groups have been reported to increase the members' understanding of complex medical issues involved in their situations and to be helpful in identifying practical coping mechanisms.

Aim: To investigate the experiences of family members participating in a nurse-social worker led support group in the intensive care unit.

Method: Study design: prospective collection of family narratives during support group meetings. A qualitative analysis was done of the narratives of weekly routine nurse-social worker led support group for family members of intensive care unit patients. The meeting contents are documented and related in the nursing notes.

Setting: level 1 trauma centre, at a university hospital, with 13-bed intensive care unit. During the past 3 years this family support group has been providing routine intervention with the purpose of calming the families of intensive care unit patients during crisis situations by utilizing nurse, social worker and group dynamics.

Results: A qualitative analysis was performed on the content of support group dynamics. The principal themes found were Behavioural, Perceptual, Emotional and Supportive.

Conclusions: The family support group provides the participants with a 'tool box' of coping mechanisms, which they can choose from in this current unfamiliar crisis event. The group provides a supportive environment, mutuality, a sense of belonging, needs of community, unconditional acceptance and information provision for the participants in the group.

Relevance to clinical practice: In order to provide support for several families, nurses can use the family support group intervention as an effective technique in reaching as many families as possible. Narratives from family members during group meetings may be a good information source providing insights for nursing guidance and patient/family education.

Keywords: Family; Intensive care; Nurse intervention; Social support; Support group.