Views of nurses and patients relatives on visits to intensive care patients

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the kind of visits nurses and patients’ relatives demand to see in intensive care units; the reasons explaining their demands and the kind of feelings experienced by patients’ relatives in the aftermath of visits. This is a descriptive study. The study was included 346 patient relatives and 103 nurses. Data were obtained with two separate questionnaires prepared exclusively for patient relatives and nurses and their responses. Nurses were preferred visits to be conducted via video camera or behind a glass wall (67.0%), patients’ relatives were wanted to see their patients anytime they want (49.1%). 74.2% of patient relatives express that visits should be conducted to observe the condition of patient while 58.3% of patients state that visits should be conducted to alleviate pain, loneliness and anxiety levels of patients. The most of nurses claimed that intensive care units should be closed to visits pointed at the risks of infection (66.7%). The results of this study showed that the most of nurses were favored restricted visit whereas relatives of patients were preferred open visits