When we think of nurses, we often think about those who deliver medication, injections, check reports and monitor the health of patients.
While patient care is at the forefront of the responsibility of a nurse, it is not just the patients that nurses can have an astronomical effect on.
Nurses are also there to care for the family and caregivers through this difficult period.
They can provide support, and build a rapport with the family to help boost morale, and ensure that you are working simultaneously together to get the patient better, more comfortable, or better cared for.
There are around 41 million family caregivers in the United States alone, which would provide billions of unpaid care to patients with serious health conditions because they are family members or close friends and relatives.
These caregivers are also part of the patient care process, and need support as well as the patient in order to ensure the treatment is smooth and fulfilling. So, how do nurses support families of patients?
How Do Nurses Support Families?
There is growing evidence to suggest that nurses must not only care for the patient’s needs, but for the family’s and caregiver’s needs too.
This includes having the perspective that family caregivers are collaborative partners in care with the nurses, and must therefore be involved in the process.
Nurses need to identify support needs, educate caregivers, and support the decision making aspects of the patient’s treatment, while also providing emotional support, organizing care and helping to relieve the family caregivers.
During the care of patients, particularly when it comes to palliative care, family member involvement is essential. Nurses will work continuously and closely with those who the patient agrees should be involved in their care.
For instance, this involves meeting the families’ support needs, minimizing stress and emotional distress, inspiring them to care, educating them so that they can also help the patient, and improving morale and wellbeing.
This also includes ongoing education about care and management, support during difficult decisions, and also emotional support after death.
There may also be multiple family members associated with the care of the patient, who could have conflicts of interest, and disagree over decisions.
It is the role of the nurse to help diffuse tension and conflict in these cases, to ensure the patient gets the best possible care.
How Important Is Family Involvement In Supporting Patients?
Studies have shown that family involvement can have a positive impact on the quality of care that a patient receives. When a patient is undergoing medical help, it is so vital that the patient’s family is involved in the decisions made, and the care process.
There may be a lot of questions and open conversations to be had, and sometimes patients cannot speak for themselves, or are unable to voice their concerns, in which case, a family member can be a voice for them, and help caregivers during the whole recovery process.
In short, if nurses are able to construct a positive attitude towards the patient’s family, they can work on creating a culture of inclusivity, which can improve quality nursing care, boost patient safety, and family cohesiveness during the period of care.
Not only will this improve the quality of care, but also the patient’s comfort and confidence.
They may be anxious or uncertain about what is happening to them, and being a united front with the family can help them feel more at ease, with the support and encouragement of their family around them.
This can also optimize positive outcomes from the patient’s care (see also ‘How Do You Engage Patients In Their Care To Get Better Health Results?‘).
How Nurses Can Support Families?
Nurses can support families during this process in many different ways.
Be Honest With Everyone
One of the most important ways to help families as a nurse is to be honest. Families and those close to the patient will likely have a lot of questions, some of which can be difficult to answer, or perhaps you may not know the answer yourself.
In these cases, it is vital that you do not assume or guess the answer. Be open, and honest, even if the truth is difficult to tell loved ones. If you do not know the answer, then let the family know this, and tell them that you will find the correct answer for them.
Ask someone else, or a doctor for a detailed response, and ensure you relay this information to the family once you have found out.
Educate The Family
When a patient is going through a difficult medical issue, diagnosis, or is receiving end of life care, it is very important to give the family as much information as possible.
Ensure that you educate them of the process, and about what kind of care you are providing. Let them know what may happen during this time, and be sure to address any queries or concerns that the family may have.
This also includes talking about safety measures and the comfort of the patient, so talk it through with the family so that they can feel assured that their loved one is receiving the best care possible during this difficult time.
In addition to this, some patients may struggle with diagnosis, and may not take in a lot of information.
In these cases, it is best to tell a caregiver or family member all about the healing process, and give instructions for medication and recovery tips, as the patient may not be able to retain this information by themselves.
This can help ensure that the patient has the best chance of recovery.
Provide Emotional Support
Providing emotional support is one of the cruxes of patient care and family support.
It is also important to maintain eye contact when speaking with the family and patient, as this builds a better connection, and lets them know that you are actively listening to their concerns or questions.
Nurses will need to be there for both families (see also ‘How Do Nurses Deal With Difficult Family Members? Here Are 6 Tips‘) and patients through difficult decisions or a life changing diagnosis, acting as a person to rely on, and to guide them through the process.
Build A Relationship With Both Patient & Family
By building a relationship with the patient and the family and caregivers around them, there is overall better quality of care. Patients and family can feel more comfortable, and more open to asking important questions, and taking in information.
Many will need someone to talk to about what is happening, and nurses can be an aid in these situations.
Follow Through
Finally, as a nurse, you have to follow through with anything that needs doing post care, or in the recovery period. If the patient or family have questions, then ensure you have the answer for them in their follow up meetings and appointments.
Try to implement any concerns by the next time you see the patient, so they feel listened to and heard.
Conclusion
To conclude, nurses provide essential critical care services to patients of all needs and requirements.
Not only do they need to build strong relationships with the patients to ensure all needs are catered to, and the best level of care, but it is also very important that the family of the patient feel supported too.