Nurses' perceptions about the needs of relatives in an acute medical setting

Abstract

The purpose of the study explores the perception of nurses regarding their role in meeting the needs of relatives in an acute medical setting. The study also shows whether nurses and relatives need any form of support services which they could avail from. Nine (9) experienced Registered Nurses were interviewed and chosen through convenience sampling and the interview schedule was qualitatively analysed by its content. The response rate accounted to 100% which strengthened the study. The admission of a loved one to hospital was described as being a very challenging and difficult experience for relatives, entailing the importance of nurses to assess and address the needs of family members. The experiences and perceptions expressed by nurses were categorized into four main themes: The needs of relatives, the role of the nurse, the relationship between the nurse and the relatives and, the support and services needed. All the nurses stated that it is essential and part of their role to interact with family members. However, the nurses also acknowledged the fact that it is challenging for them to build a healthy relationship with relatives based on trust. Nurses felt that the presence of relatives can be beneficial both for the hospitalised patient and for the nurse. This enables the patient and the relative to support each other whilst the relative can assist the nurses with some basic nursing care. All nurses felt that services and support groups should be available to relatives, so that they can express their concerns, reduce their anxieties and meet their needs more comprehensively. In addition, nurses are aware that courses and support services can be beneficial to help them address the needs of relatives in an acute medical setting. Very often nurses find it difficult to deal with these needs especially those concerning the emotional and psychological factors. This difficulty results in the requirement of support groups or services to both the nurses and relatives. However, very limited research was found regarding this aspect, which indicates the need for further research. In addition, it is highly recommended for the management to make such courses and services available to nurses to increase their confidence in addressing the needs of relatives. Also further research, including direct observations of interaction between the nurses and relatives, is deemed necessary. A major limitation of the study was the small sample size thus results could only be indicative for future research and not conclusive. It is highly recommended to replicate the study on a larger scale and to explore the relatives' views regarding their needs in acute medical settings and then to compare the findings with the nurses' views.