[The relationship between family members of intensive therapy unit patients and medical staff].
BACKGROUND
The satisfaction of family members with the care provided in Polish intensive therapy units has arisen as an important factor in assessing of the overall outcome of treatment. The opinions received from various ITUs were different, but showed a generally low level of satisfaction regarding the availability of physicians for regular discussion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels of satisfaction arising from contact between ITU staff and patients' families.


METHODS
Fifty-nine relatives of ITU patients, treated at the Gdańsk Medical University, were asked to complete questionnaires based on the following: general conditions and privacy during information sessions, the accessibility and quality of information, and the readiness for participation in the care of their relatives.


RESULTS
Families rated the accessibility of information highly (76.3%). The information provided was deemed to be understandable 84.7% of the time, becoming more comprehensive over time (91.5%). In 84.7% of cases, respondents considered that there was consistency in the information given to other members of family. 66% of those questioned were informed by the chief physician, but only 30.5% were able to talk with physicians together with other family members, in a specially designated room. 87% of those questioned were ready to participate actively in the ITU care of their relative.


CONCLUSIONS
The study showed that the present system of informing patients' relatives in the ITU was satisfactory, but only in terms of the accessibility and quality of information. The conditions provided for meetings with ITU physicians were far from being satisfactory, and families received information from too many physicians.
Department of Ethics, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Tuwima 15, 80-210 Gdańsk. zakladetyki@gum.edu.pl
Krystyna
K
Basińska
Radosław
R
Owczuk
Janina
J
Suchorzewska
Magdalena
M
Wujtewicz
Maria
M
Wujtewicz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D055815:Young Adult