Recommendations for Family Presence at the Bedside in Neurocritical Care

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to summarize the latest evidence regarding family presence at the bedside in the neuro-ICU. Benefits, drawbacks, and recommendations are provided to support family members of persons receiving neurocritical care.Recent findingsFamily presence at the bedside can support positive outcomes for patients, family members, and health care staff. Recent findings suggest better satisfaction with care, reduced negative symptoms, and increased self-efficacy in families engaging in family-centered ICU care. The perceptions of health care staff regarding increased family presence at bedside is mixed and warrants further discussion and research.SummaryFamily presence at the bedside in neurocritical care is a new and somewhat controversial concept in current literature. Studies outlined in this article have proven benefit for patients and family; however, future research must be done on how to protect family and prepare care staff in family-centered neuro-ICU care. Special consideration must be made in future research on how to integrate family into neuro-ICU care and minimize impediment of neuro-ICU workflow and standards.

Automated summary

The purpose of this review is to summarize the latest evidence regarding family presence at the bedside in the neuro-ICU. Recent findings suggest better satisfaction with care, reduced negative symptoms, and increased self-efficacy in families engaging in family-centered ICU care. The perceptions of health care staff regarding increased family presence at bedside is mixed and warrants further discussion and research.