Families’ opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization: a mixed-methods study

Abstract Background Healthcare professionals in the hospital setting frequently assume primary caregiving responsibilities, which often leads family members to perceive this as standard practice during hospitalization. This dynamic may create a gap between actual and desired levels of family involve...

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Main Authors: Josien M. Woldring, Wolter Paans, Reinold O. B. Gans, Hinke M. van der Werf, Marie Louise Luttik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:BMC Nursing
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02664-8
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author Josien M. Woldring
Wolter Paans
Reinold O. B. Gans
Hinke M. van der Werf
Marie Louise Luttik
author_facet Josien M. Woldring
Wolter Paans
Reinold O. B. Gans
Hinke M. van der Werf
Marie Louise Luttik
author_sort Josien M. Woldring
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Healthcare professionals in the hospital setting frequently assume primary caregiving responsibilities, which often leads family members to perceive this as standard practice during hospitalization. This dynamic may create a gap between actual and desired levels of family involvement. The aim of this study is to explore the opinions of families about their involvement in care during the hospitalization of a relative. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed-method study design was used, where quantitative data collection is followed by qualitative data collection for a deeper understanding of the quantitative findings. Data were collected between November 2023 and April 2024 across 15 wards in a university hospital in the north of the Netherlands. 153 family members of hospitalized patients completed the adapted Families’ Importance in Nursing Care–Families’ Opinions questionnaire, providing valuable quantitative data. Twenty-three of these family members were subsequently interviewed to gather qualitative insights. Data were analyzed sequentially, with the quantitative results guiding qualitative data collection. The two types of data were integrated to draw comprehensive conclusions about the significance of family involvement during hospitalization. The study adhered to the guidelines of the Good Reporting of A Mixed Method Study (GRAMMS). Results The questionnaire scores indicate a high willingness for involvement in care during hospitalization. Subsequent in-depth interviews led to the development of a model demonstrating that this involvement is sequentially related to the themes of acknowledgement, alignment, and collaboration. Conclusions Family members expressed a need to be acknowledged by healthcare professionals as partners in care. Role agreements and information sharing during hospital care should be aligned to achieve effective collaboration between family members and healthcare professionals.
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spelling doaj-art-1209cbd0ee9c469bbad0c1323caa1cbc2025-01-12T12:13:56ZengBMCBMC Nursing1472-69552025-01-0124111510.1186/s12912-024-02664-8Families’ opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization: a mixed-methods studyJosien M. Woldring0Wolter Paans1Reinold O. B. Gans2Hinke M. van der Werf3Marie Louise Luttik4Research Group Nursing Diagnostics, Family Care & Family Nursing, School of Nursing, Hanze University of Applied SciencesResearch Group Nursing Diagnostics, Family Care & Family Nursing, School of Nursing, Hanze University of Applied SciencesDepartment of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of GroningenResearch Group Nursing Diagnostics, Family Care & Family Nursing, School of Nursing, Hanze University of Applied SciencesResearch Group Nursing Diagnostics, Family Care & Family Nursing, School of Nursing, Hanze University of Applied SciencesAbstract Background Healthcare professionals in the hospital setting frequently assume primary caregiving responsibilities, which often leads family members to perceive this as standard practice during hospitalization. This dynamic may create a gap between actual and desired levels of family involvement. The aim of this study is to explore the opinions of families about their involvement in care during the hospitalization of a relative. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed-method study design was used, where quantitative data collection is followed by qualitative data collection for a deeper understanding of the quantitative findings. Data were collected between November 2023 and April 2024 across 15 wards in a university hospital in the north of the Netherlands. 153 family members of hospitalized patients completed the adapted Families’ Importance in Nursing Care–Families’ Opinions questionnaire, providing valuable quantitative data. Twenty-three of these family members were subsequently interviewed to gather qualitative insights. Data were analyzed sequentially, with the quantitative results guiding qualitative data collection. The two types of data were integrated to draw comprehensive conclusions about the significance of family involvement during hospitalization. The study adhered to the guidelines of the Good Reporting of A Mixed Method Study (GRAMMS). Results The questionnaire scores indicate a high willingness for involvement in care during hospitalization. Subsequent in-depth interviews led to the development of a model demonstrating that this involvement is sequentially related to the themes of acknowledgement, alignment, and collaboration. Conclusions Family members expressed a need to be acknowledged by healthcare professionals as partners in care. Role agreements and information sharing during hospital care should be aligned to achieve effective collaboration between family members and healthcare professionals.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02664-8Patient and family-centered careFamily involvementFamily NursingHospital careHospitalizationNursing care
spellingShingle Josien M. Woldring
Wolter Paans
Reinold O. B. Gans
Hinke M. van der Werf
Marie Louise Luttik
Families’ opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization: a mixed-methods study
BMC Nursing
Patient and family-centered care
Family involvement
Family Nursing
Hospital care
Hospitalization
Nursing care
title Families’ opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization: a mixed-methods study
title_full Families’ opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization: a mixed-methods study
title_fullStr Families’ opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization: a mixed-methods study
title_full_unstemmed Families’ opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization: a mixed-methods study
title_short Families’ opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization: a mixed-methods study
title_sort families opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization a mixed methods study
topic Patient and family-centered care
Family involvement
Family Nursing
Hospital care
Hospitalization
Nursing care
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02664-8
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AT reinoldobgans familiesopinionsabouttheirinvolvementincareduringhospitalizationamixedmethodsstudy
AT hinkemvanderwerf familiesopinionsabouttheirinvolvementincareduringhospitalizationamixedmethodsstudy
AT marielouiseluttik familiesopinionsabouttheirinvolvementincareduringhospitalizationamixedmethodsstudy