Visits of children to patients being cared for in adult ICUs: policies, guidelines and recommendations

Abstract

Little is known about the frequency of children visiting their nearest relatives in adult ICUs or if there are any policies/guidelines or recommendations regarding these. The aims of this multi-centre descriptive study were to survey Swedish ICUs policies/guidelines or recommendations, and examine the reasons given both for and against restricting child visits; if parents/guardians sought advice in connection with such visits, and if any differences in demographic data could be ascertained. Fifty-six Lead Nurse Managers (LNM), representing as many general adult ICUs, participated by answering a questionnaire. Only one ICU had written policy/guidelines concerning child visits; most ICUs (70%) had no policies/guidelines at all. All LNMs reported that their ICU was positive to child visits, but only two actively encouraged these. Nineteen (34%) of the ICUs restricted child visits. More than 50% of the LNMs reported that only about half of their patients ever had visits from children. Seventy percent of the ICUs had no restrictions on visiting hours, but 30% imposed some form of restriction. Twenty LNMs reported that 75% of the parents/guardians of children 0-6 years old asked for advice about child visits. However, those responsible for children >12 years of age seldom asked for any advice at all.