Comparison ratings of need importance after critical illness from family members with varied demographic characteristics.

This descriptive study compares ratings of importance of selected needs by family members after the first 3 days of critical illness with family member age, gender, relationship to patient, prior intensive care unit experience, and patient medical diagnosis. Family-need importance ratings from 905 subjects, collected by 27 nurse investigators in 15 states over a 10-year period (1980 to 1989) were used as an aggregate data base. Bivariate t tests and analysis of variance procedures were used to compare ratings of importance for support, comfort, information, proximity, and assurance needs with family member demographic characteristics. Results indicated that there were more similarities than differences on the ratings of importance for selected needs from various family members. Focusing on these similarities should be useful for developing and testing nursing interventions to help family members meet their needs after a critical illness event.