Beyond the obstacles : diving into the heart of interventions promoting the involvement of relatives in intensive care unit

Abstract

Background: Involving family caregivers in direct care in the intensive care unit is increasingly recognized as part of best care practices. However, little is known about the factors that foster this involvement.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the factors in the literature that promote or limit the involvement of family caregivers in direct care in adult intensive care units.

Method: A rapid literature review was conducted in MEDLINE and CINAHL for English-and French-language articles published between 2010 and 2021.

Results: 25 articles were selected (n=20 primary studies, n=5 literature syntheses). The results show a diversity of factors that influence the involvement of relatives in direct intensive care units. These factors can be grouped into four categories : relational, informal, clinical, and political.

Conclusion: This review identifies the organizational, clinical and human issues relating to the involvement of family caregivers in direct care in order to propose recommendations to facilitate the implementation of this approach in the intensive care units.