Factors Related to Transfer Anxiety in Family Members of Critically Ill Patients

OBJECTIVES: To describe transfer anxiety and its relationship with information support and illness uncertainty among family members of critically ill patients who are transferring out from Intensive care unit (ICU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample was family members of critically ill patients who were admitted to the ICU of hospitals under Bangkok Dusit Medical Company. A simple random sampling was used to recruit 136 family members into the study. Research instruments consisted of the demographic data questionnaire, the transfer anxiety questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. RESULTS: The mean score of transfer anxiety from ICU among family members was moderate anxiety about moving out of ICU (65.24 ± 18.02). Information support had a significantly negative correlation with transfer anxiety at a moderate level (r = -0.348, p < 0.01). While illness uncertainty had a significantly high positive association with transfer anxiety (r = 0.617, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Results of the study can apply to prepare family readiness before transferring patients from the ICU. Consistently providing information related to treatments and patients’ conditions can reduce illness uncertainty and transfer anxiety among family members of critically ill patients. Moreover, nurses had recognized the importance of reducing transfer anxiety of patient’s family members.