OBJECTIVE: To determine if families of long-term critical care patients have needs different from those of families of short-term critical care patients. DESIGN: Ex post facto, descriptive, convenience sample. SETTING: Southeastern community-based medical centers. SUBJECTS: Twenty-six family members of patients in surgical intensive care units (SICU) for a minimum of 2 weeks. Age range was 20 to 73 years with a median of 48.19 years. INSTRUMENT: Molter's Critical Care Family Needs Instrument administered to a relative of a patient in the SICU for 2 weeks or more. RESULTS: The needs of families were very similar to the previously reported needs of families who had members in critical care units for short periods of time (3 to 4 days). The desire for information remained the number one need. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that family needs remain constant and continue in a crisis mode regardless of the length of time a family member may be a patient in the SICU. Recognition of these continuing needs will assist nurses in relating to the families of long-term critical care patients.
OBJECTIVE: To determine if families of long-term critical care patients have needs different from those of families of short-term critical care patients. DESIGN: Ex post facto, descriptive, convenience sample. SETTING: Southeastern community-based medical centers. SUBJECTS: Twenty-six family members of patients in surgical intensive care units (SICU) for a minimum of 2 weeks. Age range was 20 to 73 years with a median of 48.19 years. INSTRUMENT: Molter's Critical Care Family Needs Instrument administered to a relative of a patient in the SICU for 2 weeks or more. RESULTS: The needs of families were very similar to the previously reported needs of families who had members in critical care units for short periods of time (3 to 4 days). The desire for information remained the number one need. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that family needs remain constant and continue in a crisis mode regardless of the length of time a family member may be a patient in the SICU. Recognition of these continuing needs will assist nurses in relating to the families of long-term critical care patients.