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Abstract (Chapter One) The Needs of Family Members of Critically Ill Patients and Those the Family Members Identify As Persons who Help Them Meet Those Needs Beverly Duffel 1990 Introduction The crisis of a critical illness threatens not only the patient but also the family of the patient (Molter, 1979; Lynn-McHale & Bellinger, 1988). Holistic health care requires health care personnel to care for the family and the patient. The family may have a powerful effect on patient progress (Doerr & Jones, 1979; Bouman, 1984; Hodovanic, Reardon, Reese & Hedges, 1984; Fournet & Schaubhut, 1986). Through family support a patient can be assisted to a desired outcome. If the family is not supportive, the patient may demonstrate added stress leading to an undesired response (Lynn-McHale & Bellinger, 1988). In order to include the family in the nursing care plan, their needs must be identified. Inclusion of the patient’s family as recipients of nursing care is not only within the scope of nursing practice but is an expectation for which the nurse is accountable. The Standards of Nursing Practice and The Standards for Nursing Care of the Critically Ill emphasize assessment of the needs of the family during health and illness as well as continual involvement of the family in nursing care of the patient (Rodgers, 1983, p. 50). Molter (1979) identified the needs of relatives of critically ill patients in two large teaching hospitals in a southeastern city. For her study Molter developed a tool of 45 need statements which has been used in subsequent research studies.
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