title: Family members' experience of providing support for young people with traumatic physical injury during the acute hospital phase of care: A qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to explore how family members perceive and support young people with traumatic physical injury during the acute phase of hospital care.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study forms part of the qualitative explanatory follow-up phase of a mixed methods study. The paper reports on family members' experiences of providing support to young people 16-24 years admitted with major traumatic injury to an Australian Level 1 Trauma Centre. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with family members were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Data were managed using NVivo software, and thematically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Family support was determined by how family members perceived the injury. Driven by a need to protect the injured young person, family members sought to control potential emotional impacts of injury, creating a buffer between the young person and other people including healthcare professionals. Family members safeguarded the psychological well-being of the young person, in an attempt to facilitate their transition back to independence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study identifies iterative changes in family relationships and emotional and practical support provided by family members during the initial injury trajectory, extending understandings of the broader burden of injury. Key elements of family stress theory offer a useful framework for the development of anticipatory guidance for clinicians that are responsive to the emotional needs of patients and families, supporting the need for a family-centred care approach to managing major traumatic injury in young people.
authors: Shock Trauma Service at The Canberra Hospital, Building 6, Level 1, Yamba Drive, Garran ACT 2605, Australia. Electronic address: rebekah.ogilvie@act.gov.au.
authors: Rebekah
authors: R
authors: Ogilvie
authors: Disciplines of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Canberra, Australia.
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Foster
authors: Sydney Nursing School, University of Sydney, Australia.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: McCloughen
authors: Sydney Nursing School, University of Sydney, Australia; St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Kate
authors: K
authors: Curtis
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004644:Emotions; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Experience; Family; Injury; Life-threatening; Outcomes; Young people