Visitation needs of patients and their families in the coronary care unit

Author/Creator

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

1991

Type of Work

Department

Nursing

Program

Citation of Original Publication

Rights

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceived visitation needs of patients with myocardial infarctions (MIs) and their families and to determine if they differed from one another. The needs of patients and families with prior experience with a CCU were compared to determine if their needs differed from those without previous experience. The visitation needs of patients with a history of MI were also compared to determine if any difference existed between the two groups. A comparison was also made between males and females to determine if sex influenced visitation needs. The need for patients and families to regulate visitation was also examined. The study population consisted of a convenience sample of 32 patient-family pairs with all patients being hospitalized in a Coronary Care Unit (CCU) with a confirmed diagnosis of MI. A non-experimental, descriptive study was utilized for this study. Information on patient and family visitation needs was obtained by using a modified version of a questionnaire developed by Susan Boykoff (1986). Mean values were computed for all items on the questionnaire. The top five needs for patients and families were the same although in a slightly different order. This demonstrated a general congruence between patient and family needs indicating these are primary visitation needs. A t-test indicated that patients and families rated one need significantly different. This was the need to allow only family members to visit in the CCU, with families rating the need as more important. The need to allow friends to visit in CCU was rated as the least important need by both patients and families. Gender was found to have a minimal effect on the rating of visitation needs, while CCU experience was not found to influence this rating. History of a prior MI was found to influence the need to have nurses respond to families' phone calls, with those with no previous MI rating this need as more important. Regulation of visitation was not found to be a high ranking need by either patients or families in this study. However, comments on the questionnaires indicate patients and families desire individualization of visitation. Further investigation is needed in order to examine if differences in age, race, or ethnicity influences the visitation needs of patients and their families. Replication of this study is urged in order to further explore and help meet the visitation needs of CCU patients and their families.