Visiting hours in the ICU: finding the balance among patient, visitor and staff needs

Abstract

Topic: Visiting hours.

Purpose: To explore the experience of nurses who have been identified as experts at working with visitors in a critical care setting.

Methods: A qualitative research design incorporating in-depth interviews of eight intensive care nurses, limited participant observation, and a review of selected documents was used to investigate how expert nurses incorporate visitors into their daily practice.

Conclusion: Incorporating visiting family members in to the plan of care is complex and requires balancing the visitors' needs for information and access to a loved one with the nurse's need to safely manage the care of a critically ill individual.