COVID-19 causes patient trajectories that are sudden, unpredictable and imbedded in a worldwide panic as well as lack of medical experience and knowledge. This study aims to understand how close family members to patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are affected by the situation. Individual, in-depth interviews with twelve close family members to patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were conducted. The interviews were analyzed with a hermeneutic approach using reflexive methodology. Theoretical conceptualization ensured a critical interpretation. Three empirical themes were identified: fear and unpredictability, not being able to be there and being the “key caregiver”. Family members´ fear is compounded as the whole world is preoccupied with the same fear and uncertainty about COVID-19. Due to the volatile situation, a shift in coping strategies throughout the trajectory was illuminated as well as an ambivalence towards the health system´s treatment regime on COVID-19 implying a total separation between the patient and their close family member. In conclusion, close family members of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are in a vulnerable situation, characterized by a high degree of unpredictability and seriousness causing fear of losing their loved ones, as well as powerlessness due to visiting restrictions. Hospitalization with COVID-19 is an unpredictable situation, where the family members are separated from their loved ones. Family members are dependent on the communication with health care professionals. Therefore, talking to family members during COVID-19 must be prioritized and it is found necessary to develop relevant and systematic practices for communication and collaboration practices.
| Published in | American Journal of Nursing Science (Volume 10, Issue 4) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11 |
| Page(s) | 191-200 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group |
2019-nCoV, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Qualitative Study, Family, Close Family Members, Hospitalization
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APA Style
Camilla Bernild, Malene Missel, Ilkay Dagyaran, Signe Westh Christensen, Selina Kikkenborg Berg. (2021). In the Eye of the Hurricane - A Qualitative Study on What Is at Stake for Close Family Members to Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19. American Journal of Nursing Science, 10(4), 191-200. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11
ACS Style
Camilla Bernild; Malene Missel; Ilkay Dagyaran; Signe Westh Christensen; Selina Kikkenborg Berg. In the Eye of the Hurricane - A Qualitative Study on What Is at Stake for Close Family Members to Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19. Am. J. Nurs. Sci. 2021, 10(4), 191-200. doi: 10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11
AMA Style
Camilla Bernild, Malene Missel, Ilkay Dagyaran, Signe Westh Christensen, Selina Kikkenborg Berg. In the Eye of the Hurricane - A Qualitative Study on What Is at Stake for Close Family Members to Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19. Am J Nurs Sci. 2021;10(4):191-200. doi: 10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11
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Download@article{10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11,
author = {Camilla Bernild and Malene Missel and Ilkay Dagyaran and Signe Westh Christensen and Selina Kikkenborg Berg},
title = {In the Eye of the Hurricane - A Qualitative Study on What Is at Stake for Close Family Members to Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19},
journal = {American Journal of Nursing Science},
volume = {10},
number = {4},
pages = {191-200},
doi = {10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajns.20211004.11},
abstract = {COVID-19 causes patient trajectories that are sudden, unpredictable and imbedded in a worldwide panic as well as lack of medical experience and knowledge. This study aims to understand how close family members to patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are affected by the situation. Individual, in-depth interviews with twelve close family members to patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were conducted. The interviews were analyzed with a hermeneutic approach using reflexive methodology. Theoretical conceptualization ensured a critical interpretation. Three empirical themes were identified: fear and unpredictability, not being able to be there and being the “key caregiver”. Family members´ fear is compounded as the whole world is preoccupied with the same fear and uncertainty about COVID-19. Due to the volatile situation, a shift in coping strategies throughout the trajectory was illuminated as well as an ambivalence towards the health system´s treatment regime on COVID-19 implying a total separation between the patient and their close family member. In conclusion, close family members of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are in a vulnerable situation, characterized by a high degree of unpredictability and seriousness causing fear of losing their loved ones, as well as powerlessness due to visiting restrictions. Hospitalization with COVID-19 is an unpredictable situation, where the family members are separated from their loved ones. Family members are dependent on the communication with health care professionals. Therefore, talking to family members during COVID-19 must be prioritized and it is found necessary to develop relevant and systematic practices for communication and collaboration practices.},
year = {2021}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - In the Eye of the Hurricane - A Qualitative Study on What Is at Stake for Close Family Members to Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 AU - Camilla Bernild AU - Malene Missel AU - Ilkay Dagyaran AU - Signe Westh Christensen AU - Selina Kikkenborg Berg Y1 - 2021/07/02 PY - 2021 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11 DO - 10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11 T2 - American Journal of Nursing Science JF - American Journal of Nursing Science JO - American Journal of Nursing Science SP - 191 EP - 200 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2328-5753 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajns.20211004.11 AB - COVID-19 causes patient trajectories that are sudden, unpredictable and imbedded in a worldwide panic as well as lack of medical experience and knowledge. This study aims to understand how close family members to patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are affected by the situation. Individual, in-depth interviews with twelve close family members to patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were conducted. The interviews were analyzed with a hermeneutic approach using reflexive methodology. Theoretical conceptualization ensured a critical interpretation. Three empirical themes were identified: fear and unpredictability, not being able to be there and being the “key caregiver”. Family members´ fear is compounded as the whole world is preoccupied with the same fear and uncertainty about COVID-19. Due to the volatile situation, a shift in coping strategies throughout the trajectory was illuminated as well as an ambivalence towards the health system´s treatment regime on COVID-19 implying a total separation between the patient and their close family member. In conclusion, close family members of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are in a vulnerable situation, characterized by a high degree of unpredictability and seriousness causing fear of losing their loved ones, as well as powerlessness due to visiting restrictions. Hospitalization with COVID-19 is an unpredictable situation, where the family members are separated from their loved ones. Family members are dependent on the communication with health care professionals. Therefore, talking to family members during COVID-19 must be prioritized and it is found necessary to develop relevant and systematic practices for communication and collaboration practices. VL - 10 IS - 4 ER -
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