Valentina Di Bernardo1, Nicola Grignoli2, Chantal Marazia3, Jennifer Andreotti4, Andreas Perren5, Roberto Malacrida6. 1. Intensive Care Unit, Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland; Sasso Corbaro Medical Humanities Foundation, Bellinzona, Switzerland. 2. Sasso Corbaro Medical Humanities Foundation, Bellinzona, Switzerland; Psychiatry Consultation Liaison Service, Organizzazione Sociopsichiatrica Cantonale, Mendrisio, Switzerland. Electronic address: nicola.grignoli@eoc.ch. 3. Sasso Corbaro Medical Humanities Foundation, Bellinzona, Switzerland; Département d'Histoire des Sciences et de la Vie et de la Santé, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France. 4. Department of Psychiatric Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Psychiatry, Bern, Switzerland. 5. Intensive Care Unit, Ospedale Regionale Bellinzona e Valli, Bellinzona, Switzerland. 6. Sasso Corbaro Medical Humanities Foundation, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Opening intensive care units (ICUs) is particularly relevant because of a new Swiss law granting the relatives of patients without decision-making capability a central role in medical decisions. The main objectives of the study were to assess how the presence of relatives is viewed by patients, health care providers, and relatives themselves and to evaluate the perception of the level of intrusiveness into the personal sphere during admission. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a longitudinal and prospective design, qualitative questionnaires were submitted concomitantly to patients, relatives, and health care providers consecutively over a 6-month period. The study was conducted in the 4 ICUs of the public hospitals of Canton Ticino (Switzerland). RESULTS: The questionnaires collected from patients, relatives, and health care providers were 176, 173, and 134, respectively. The analysis of the answers of 120 patient-relative pairs showed consistent results (P < .0001), whereas those of health care providers were significantly different (P < .0001), regarding both the usefulness of opening ICUs to patient relatives and what was stressful during admission. CONCLUSIONS: Relatives in these "open" ICUs share a great deal of intimacy with the patients. Their presence and the deriving benefits were seen as very positive by patients and relatives themselves. Skepticism, instead, prevailed among health care providers.
PURPOSE: Opening intensive care units (ICUs) is particularly relevant because of a new Swiss law granting the relatives of patients without decision-making capability a central role in medical decisions. The main objectives of the study were to assess how the presence of relatives is viewed by patients, health care providers, and relatives themselves and to evaluate the perception of the level of intrusiveness into the personal sphere during admission. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a longitudinal and prospective design, qualitative questionnaires were submitted concomitantly to patients, relatives, and health care providers consecutively over a 6-month period. The study was conducted in the 4 ICUs of the public hospitals of Canton Ticino (Switzerland). RESULTS: The questionnaires collected from patients, relatives, and health care providers were 176, 173, and 134, respectively. The analysis of the answers of 120 patient-relative pairs showed consistent results (P < .0001), whereas those of health care providers were significantly different (P < .0001), regarding both the usefulness of opening ICUs to patient relatives and what was stressful during admission. CONCLUSIONS: Relatives in these "open" ICUs share a great deal of intimacy with the patients. Their presence and the deriving benefits were seen as very positive by patients and relatives themselves. Skepticism, instead, prevailed among health care providers.
Authors: Karla D Krewulak; Natalia Jaworska; Krista L Spence; Sara J Mizen; Shelly Kupsch; Henry T Stelfox; Jeanna Parsons Leigh; Kirsten M Fiest Journal: Ann Am Thorac Soc Date: 2022-07
Authors: Ines Testoni; Erika Iacona; Lorenza Palazzo; Beatrice Barzizza; Beatrice Baldrati; Davide Mazzon; Paolo Navalesi; Giovanni Mistraletti; Diego De Leo Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-12-18 Impact factor: 3.390