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Abstract

Aim.The aim of this study was to review the physical and social environment monitoring of the intensive care unit and examine how it affects the physiological status of the patient and family needs.

Background.Knowledge and skill in providing nursing care are the main factors affecting the recovery of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). While a nurse or nursing unit can possess perfect critical care skills and knowledge, those are not the only factors that influence patient recovery. Including nursing skills in ICU is environmental monitoring and creating a pleasant environment with minimal stress. This monitoring includes control of light, sound, color, landscape, music and social support.

Method.This review was conducted by searching electronic databases and hand searching of library resources. Finding articles and research projects was conducted by using keywords on the internet and relevant sites.

Findings.Improvement of the environment in which care is provided not only helps in the healing process for patients, but also increases employee satisfaction and families affected. Environmental monitoring reduces stressful factors from ICU to rectify the effects of these wards for patients and also, reduces staff stress.

Conclusion.The use of research findings is an important part of improving the quality of care for patients in intensive care units and their families. The ICU setting has the potential to afford patients the best possible opportunity to heal if key stress-reducing elements are incorporated into its physical design. Such elements may reduce noise, offer privacy, add full-spectrum lighting, and assimilate color. As well as considering the physical design, a critical program that integrates the family and other healing measures is essential to the milieu of a healing environment.

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Abstract

Aim. This study was designed to determine complications experienced by family members of patient admitted to intensive care units and to identify related factors.

Background. Family is the most fundamental social community and has a basic role in human health. An acute illness of a family member and admission in critical care unit is considered as a stressful event resulting in some problems and undesirable outcomes for other family members.

Method. This review study was done in a systematized manner and based on library literatures. To do this, the articles published on family of critical patients during 2004-2016, searched out in different Farsi and English databases using keywords of "patient's family", "critically ill patient", "and family need". After screening articles according to inclusion criteria, 20 related articles were reviewed and analyzed.

Findings. Admission of  patients in critical care unit cause some negative reactions and complications in their family in the form of physical and psychosocial disorders. These undesirable outcomes are related to different reasons usually related to patient’s caring method and the manner of interaction with family members.

Conclusion. In general, following admission of one of family member in critical care unit, the family encounters a crisis, loses its functions and experiences some problems. Based on this, nurses, as the main pillar of care delivery system, should be responsible about patients’ family, pay attention to their needs and support the family though developing a family-center care plan. 

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Abstract
Aim. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between compassion fatigue and moral sensitivity in nurses of critical care units of hospitals affiliated to Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. 
Background. Nurses encounter conditions during taking care for clients that can lead to a type of fatigue called compassion fatigue. Ethical sensitivity as the basis of ethics in nursing can be helpful in reducing nursing care problems.
Method. This study was a cross-sectional descriptive-correlational study in which 200 nurses working in critical care units of hospitals affiliated to Qazvin University of Medical Sciences were recruited in the study through census sampling method and inclusion criteria. Demographic characteristic form, and the compassion fatigue questionnaire and moral sensitivity questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 19 using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Findings. The mean score of moral sensitivity was 53.21±13.69 and the mean score of compassion fatigue was 25.55±4.66. Spearman correlation coefficients revealed that there was a statistically significant and reverse correlation between moral sensitivity and compassion fatigue among critical care nurses (r=0.171, p=0.015).
Conclusion. The moral sensitivity of critical care nurses is related to their compassion fatigue. Therefore, provision of a framework for strengthening the moral sensitivity of nurses could be effective in reducing this phenomenon.