Effect of an education-orientation program on family members who visit their significant other in the intensive care unit.

An education-orientation program given to family members may be an effective initial intervention technique for alleviating familial stress. The findings suggest that the intervention program had a positive effect on the experimental group. A comprehensive, ongoing program is needed to ensure that each family is given the attention they require to promote and maintain family function and integrity during the hospitalization crisis. Future research is needed to identify stressors perceived by family members and to identify effective nursing interventions that would decrease familial stress and promote and maintain the family integrity during the hospitalization crisis. Future research should be time-sequenced to examine the effect of an intervention program as initial coping mechanisms begin to diminish. Finally, research is needed to determine whether family intervention alleviates stress in the stricken family member.