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Families’ Needs in Emergency Departments: Instrument Development by Bernice Redley; Sandra A. LeVasseur; Gwenda Peters; Elizabeth Bethune is a Health Professions article available to read on EtoBox.

What is Families’ Needs in Emergency Departments: Instrument Development about?

**Background.** Families who accompany critically ill relatives in emergency departments (EDs) are an integral part of the care unit. However, there are few empirical data on their needs during this phase of care. In order to guide quality care, general and specific needs of families accompanying these critically ill relatives should be systematically examined. **Aim.** The aim of this pilot project was to test the tool, methods and analysis plan for a study to examine the perceived needs of family members accompanying critically ill patients in EDs and their perceptions of ED staff's ability to meet these needs. **Method.** Over a 6‐week period in 1996, 84 relatives who met the inclusion criteria were recruited to the study. A postal questionnaire, to uncover the needs of family members, was pilot tested. The questionnaire consisted of 40 need statements reflecting five major themes: meaning, proximity, communication, comfort and support. Of the 84 relatives selected for the study, 73% returned completed questionnaires. **Results.** The findings of this pilot study suggest that the questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for researchers wishing to examine and rank the needs of

Who reads Families’ Needs in Emergency Departments: Instrument Development?

Author

Bernice Redley; Sandra A. LeVasseur; Gwenda Peters; Elizabeth Bethune

Publisher

John Wiley and Sons; Wiley (Blackwell Publishing); Blackwell Publishing Inc.; Wiley (ISSN 0309-2402)

Published

2003

Language

EN

Field

Health Professions (Health Sciences)