ICU healthcare staff reconnecting with families during Covid-19: The ICU-open project

Background

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic led to strict visitation restrictions in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), negatively impacting patients, families, and healthcare workers (HCWs). The ICU-open project is a phased approach to engage with ICU patients’ families and reintroduce family visits during the Covid-19 pandemic. The ICU-open project embodies the unwavering commitment to a family-centred approach of the Cà Foncello-Treviso Hospital's ICU staff. The present work reports the perception of the project amongst HCWs and provides a snapshot of the psychological well-being of the ICU staff after the project.

Methodology

The 120 ICU HCWs who participated in the project from May 2020 to June 2021 were invited to answer an online survey. It assessed demographic information, project-related variables, attitudes towards family- and patient-centred care, and psycho-social variables, using ad-hoc items and validated measures including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Moral Injury Events Scale, and Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory.

Results/discussion

Ninety-two HCWs (72% nurses; 65.5% female) completed the survey. HCWs highly valued the ICU-open project for both themselves and patients’ families. Positive perception of the project phases was associated with reduced levels of perceived moral transgressions. One-third of the participants reported moderate to severe levels of anxiety and depression, with notable post-traumatic growth observed in various dimensions.

Conclusion/perspectives

The ICU-open project was perceived very positively by the ICU staff and demonstrates the potential benefits of collaborative initiatives in alleviating the adverse impacts of family visitation restrictions in ICUs. The project may have prompted a positive reappraisal of events and coping mechanisms among HCWs, highlighting the significance placed on family involvement by ICU staff. It underscores the need for maintaining communication between ICU staff and patients’ families during emergencies.