Critical Care Nurses’ Experiences During the Illness of Family Members: A Qualitative Study

INTRODUCTION: A loved one's hospitalization in a critical care unit is a traumatic experience for families. However, because of their status and professional competence, a family member who is also a critical care nurse has additional obstacles and often long-term consequences. OBJECTIVES: To describe the experiences of critical care nurse-family members when a loved one is admitted to a critical care unit at the Hotel-Dieu de France hospital. METHODS: A qualitative path based on van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology combining both descriptive and interpretive models were adopted. RESULTS: The lived experience of critical care nurses in providing care for their family members admitted into the same critical care were summarized in five themes. Nurses were torn between roles, consisting of confounding roles, their registered nurse status, and watchfulness. The lived experience of critical care nurses in providing care for their family members admitted into the same critical care was summarized into specialized knowledge that included a double-edged sword of seeking information and difficulty delivering the information. Critical nurses compete for expectations, including those placed on self and family members, resulting in emotional and personal sacrifice while gaining insight into the experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Critical care nurse-family members have a unique experience compared to the rest of the family, necessitating specialized care and attention. Increased awareness among healthcare providers could be a start in the right direction.