A multicenter survey of visiting policies in French intensive care units. 2002

Philippe Quinio, and Christophe Savry, and Arnaud Deghelt, and Matthieu Guilloux, and Jean Catineau, and Anne de Tinténiac
Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Brest Teaching Hospital, Hôpital de la Cavale Blanche, Boulevard Tanguy Prigent, 29609 Brest cedex, France. philippe.quinio@chu-brest.fr

OBJECTIVE To determine the visiting policies of French intensive care units. METHODS Descriptive study in intensive care units. METHODS A questionnaire on their official visiting policies was sent to 200 French ICUs. RESULTS Ninety-five ICUs completed the questionnaire (47.5%). Ninety-two (97%) ICUs reported restricted visiting-hour policies, allowing visits at only one or several preassigned times. Mean total daily visiting time was 168 min (range 30-370). The number of visitors was restricted in 90 ICUs (95%). The type of visitors (immediate relatives only) was restricted in 57 (60%). Visiting was forbidden for children in 10 (11%), and 41 (44%) fixed an age limit for visiting. A gowning procedure was imposed on visitors in 78 (82%). Eighteen (19%) ICUs had no waiting room available, 35 (37%) used a special room for providing families with information in addition to the waiting room, 61 (64%) provided an information leaflet. A structured first meeting was organized in 68 (71%). A last structured family meeting at the ICU discharge was provided in 6 (6%). CONCLUSIONS Responding ICUs provide homogeneously restrictive visiting policies concerning visiting hours, number and type of visitors. However, family reception cannot be reduced to some quantitative factors and depends on multiple other parameters such as the organization of family meetings and the use of an information leaflet. These results should be an interesting starting point to observe any change in mentalities and practices in the future.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007362 Intensive Care Units Hospital units providing continuous surveillance and care to acutely ill patients. ICU Intensive Care Units,Intensive Care Unit,Unit, Intensive Care
D011481 Protective Clothing Clothing designed to protect the individual against possible exposure to known hazards. Clothing, Protective
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003142 Communication The exchange or transmission of ideas, attitudes, or beliefs between individuals or groups. Miscommunication,Misinformation,Social Communication,Communication Programs,Communications Personnel,Personal Communication,Communication Program,Communication, Personal,Communication, Social,Communications, Social,Miscommunications,Misinformations,Personnel, Communications,Program, Communication,Programs, Communication,Social Communications
D005190 Family A social group consisting of parents or parent substitutes and children. Family Life Cycles,Family Members,Family Life Cycle,Family Research,Filiation,Kinship Networks,Relatives,Families,Family Member,Kinship Network,Life Cycle, Family,Life Cycles, Family,Network, Kinship,Networks, Kinship,Research, Family
D005195 Family Relations Behavioral, psychological, and social relations among various members of the nuclear family and the extended family. Family Relationship,Family Dynamics,Family Relationships,Dynamic, Family,Dynamics, Family,Family Dynamic,Family Relation,Relation, Family,Relations, Family,Relationship, Family,Relationships, Family
D005602 France A country in western Europe bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, the Mediterranean Sea, and the countries of Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the principalities of Andorra and Monaco, and by the duchy of Luxembourg. Its capital is Paris. Corsica,Saint Pierre and Miquelon,Miquelon and Saint Pierre,Miquelon and St. Pierre,St. Pierre and Miquelon
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014789 Visitors to Patients Patients' guests and rules for visiting. Patients' Visitors,Patient Visitors,Patient's Visitors,Patients Visitors,Patients' Visitor,Visitor, Patients',Visitors to Patient,Visitors, Patients'
D016134 Organizational Policy A course or method of action selected, usually by an organization, institution, university, society, etc., from among alternatives to guide and determine present and future decisions and positions on matters of public interest or social concern. It does not include internal policy relating to organization and administration within the corporate body, for which ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION is available. Institutional Policy,Institutional Policies,Organizational Policies,Policies, Institutional,Policies, Organizational,Policy, Institutional,Policy, Organizational

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