Overview
The purpose of this study is to explore and describe nurses' perceptions of their levels and practices of family engagement in Emergency Departments and the experiences of family members in delivery of Emergency Department care.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Nurses: Registered professional nurses, including those with a diploma, associate's degree, and baccalaureate degrees, who are in charge of the plan of care for the ED patient.
- Nurses who have been working in that particular ED environment for at least 6 months.
- Nurses involved in providing direct patient care (not managers).
- Nurses who are employed by the institution of the research study, not agency staff.
- Family Members: a family member who expressed a sense of belonging to a patient admitted to the ED, or a person that a communicating patient had defined as family or being significant to the patient.
- Family members who are present with a patient who is being seen in the ED for acute or chronic illness (1 family member to participate per patient).
- Age 18 years or older
- Able to speak and read in English (for the United States sample)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Nurses not caring for patients in the ED
- Family members who are not present in the ED with the patient.
