Family Satisfaction With Critical Care: Before and After the COVID-19 Outbreak

Introduction Family satisfaction with intensive care units (ICU) is recognized as a key component of the quality of care. As a result, family members are now more involved in the care process, and their needs are recognized throughout the ICU stay. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed healthcare worldwide, due to the several restrictions imposed; the communication patterns changed drastically, and institutions were forced to adapt to create a balance between security and the needs of relatives. The aim of this study was to assess family members' satisfaction with the ICU and determine if the COVID-19 restructuring affected family satisfaction. Methods A prospective observational study was performed among the designated family members (DFM) of ICU patients over two time periods, a pre-pandemic period from December 2019 to February 2020 and a pandemic period from May 2020 to February 2021. The Family Satisfaction in the Intensive Care Unit 24 (FS-ICU 24) questionnaire, which was given to the DFM, was the instrument used to determine family satisfaction. Results The study involved 290 DFM, 175 during the pre-pandemic phase and 115 during the pandemic period. The overall and domain-specific family satisfaction scores were high (score > 80) in both the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. The greatest satisfaction levels were related with symptom management and how nurses and doctors cared for the patient. No statistical differences were found between the two time periods. Lastly, a positive association between the two domains explored by FS-ICU 24, satisfaction with care and satisfaction with decision-making process, was verified in both time frames. Conclusion The data obtained revealed very good outcomes on the different FS-ICU 24 domains, in line with other studies in literature. No significant differences were found between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, suggesting that the measures implemented during the COVID-19 were successful. The importance of involving families in the decision-making process, providing them with accurate information, and active listening, as well as using better communication skills, is emphasized throughout all these results. The relevance of measuring family satisfaction should be brought to the attention of family members and healthcare professionals so that additional research may be conducted.