Abstract
Background: Family engagement in care for critically ill patients remains an inconsistent practice and an understudied area of nursing science. Rounds for this study are an interdisciplinary activity conducted at the bedside in partnership with patients, their families, and the healthcare professionals involved in providing the care.
Aim of the Study: We sought to explore and describe the facilitators and barriers to family engagement during patient and family-centered interdisciplinary rounds in the intensive care unit.
Methods: This qualitative exploratory study is part of a multisite experimental study (#Pro2020001614; NCT05449990). We analyzed the narrative data from the qualitative questions added to the survey from 52 healthcare professionals involved in the study using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) constructionist, contextualist approach to thematic analysis. The study was conducted in the intensive care unit of two medical centers.
Results: The findings presented are themes illuminated from thematic analysis, namely communication gaps, family’s lack of resources, familial and healthcare providers’ characteristics, lack of leadership, interprofessional support, policy, and guidelines. Family engagement in critical care during interdisciplinary rounds occurred within the intersectionality among families, healthcare professionals’ practice, and organizational factors. The facilitators for family engagement include supported, championed, and advocated-for family adaptation, teams, professional practice, organizational receptivity, and support. Communication and leadership are the precursors to family engagement.
Conclusion: The findings added new knowledge about the nature and scope of family engagement in critical care. Family engagement must be incorporated into the organizational vision, mission, and healthcare delivery systems.
Notes
References:
Au, S.S., Roze des Ordons, A.L., Amir Ali, A., Soo, A., Stelfox, H.T., 2019. Communication with patients’ families in the intensive care unit: A point prevalence study. J. Crit. Care 54, 235–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrc.2019.08.031.
Braun, V., Clarke, V., 2019. Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport. Exercise and Health 11 (4), 589–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 2159676X.2019.1628806.
Calderone, A., Debay, V., Goldfarb, M.J., 2022. Family presence on rounds in adult critical care: A scoping review. Crit. Care Explorat. 4 (11), 1–9. https://doi.org/ 10.1097/CCE.0000000000000787.
Cypress, B., Allred, S., 2023. Building family resilience: Qualitative perspectives from a multisite experimental study in ICU, early view May 10. Family Rel. Interdiscipl. J. Appl. Family Sci. 2023, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12893.
Cypress, B., 2017. Rigor, reliability, and validity in qualitative research: Perspectives, strategies, re-conceptualization and recommendations. Dimens. Crit. Care Nurs. 36 (4), 253–263.
Elcokany, N.M., Abdel Wareth, M.S., 2019. Perception of intensive care unit nurses toward family engagement in patients’ care. Internat. J. Novel Res. Healthcare Nurs. 6 (2), 1099–1110.
Sigma Membership
Eta Mu
Lead Author Affiliation
Rutgers University-Camden, Camden, New Jersey, USA
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Exploratory
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Acute Care, Interprofessional, Interdisciplinary, Patient-Family Relations, Family Engagement in Critical Care
Recommended Citation
Cypress, Brigitte S., "Barriers and Facilitators to Family Engagement in Critical Care" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 31.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/31
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-21
Funder
Rutgers Camden
Barriers and Facilitators to Family Engagement in Critical Care
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Background: Family engagement in care for critically ill patients remains an inconsistent practice and an understudied area of nursing science. Rounds for this study are an interdisciplinary activity conducted at the bedside in partnership with patients, their families, and the healthcare professionals involved in providing the care.
Aim of the Study: We sought to explore and describe the facilitators and barriers to family engagement during patient and family-centered interdisciplinary rounds in the intensive care unit.
Methods: This qualitative exploratory study is part of a multisite experimental study (#Pro2020001614; NCT05449990). We analyzed the narrative data from the qualitative questions added to the survey from 52 healthcare professionals involved in the study using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) constructionist, contextualist approach to thematic analysis. The study was conducted in the intensive care unit of two medical centers.
Results: The findings presented are themes illuminated from thematic analysis, namely communication gaps, family’s lack of resources, familial and healthcare providers’ characteristics, lack of leadership, interprofessional support, policy, and guidelines. Family engagement in critical care during interdisciplinary rounds occurred within the intersectionality among families, healthcare professionals’ practice, and organizational factors. The facilitators for family engagement include supported, championed, and advocated-for family adaptation, teams, professional practice, organizational receptivity, and support. Communication and leadership are the precursors to family engagement.
Conclusion: The findings added new knowledge about the nature and scope of family engagement in critical care. Family engagement must be incorporated into the organizational vision, mission, and healthcare delivery systems.
Description
This oral presentation will present the qualitative exploratory findings from a multisite experimental study about the facilitators and barriers to family engagement during patient and family-centered care interdisciplinary rounds in the intensive care unit (ICU).