“We were treading water.” Experiences of healthcare providers in Canadian ICUs during COVID-19 visitor restrictions: A qualitative descriptive study.
August 23, 2022
Jennifer M. O’Brien, PhD, Faith A. Bae, MN, RN, Joann Kawchuk, MD FRCPC, Eileen Reimche, MEd, BEd, BA, Candace A. Abramyk, Caitlyn Kitts, BSc, Sana Mohamad, Christine Patterson, MD, Yolanda Palmer-Clarke, PhD, and Sabira Valiani MD FRCPC.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To explore and describe the impact of COVID-19 restrictive visitation policies on healthcare providers (HCPs) and to identify ongoing challenges and pragmatic solutions that could inform recommendations for patient and family-centered care (PFCC) in the ICU during pandemic conditions.
Methods: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study within a constructivist paradigm. We used two sources of data collected simultaneously: semi-structured interviews conducted remotely via video or phone and written comments gathered through open-ended response boxes in a questionnaire to explore the perspectives of HCPs working in Canadian ICUs during visitor restrictions resulting from the first wave of COVID-19. Between June-September 2020, eligible participants were invited through email or Twitter by their professional societies: The Canadian Critical Care Society, the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists. Interview transcripts were analyzed inductively to create a thematic framework, and written comments were analyzed using deductive content analysis to support a richer description.
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