The effect of regular family caregivers’ supportive meeting on physiologic parameters in CVA Patients in Intensive Care Unit

Background and Objective: Meeting is one of the basic needs of patients in intensive care units. Nevertheless, there is not enough evidence to determine the effect of supportive meeting on physiologic parameters of patients. This research was carried out to determine the effect of regular supportive meetings of family on Physiologic parameters in Cerebral Vascular Accident patients in Intensive Care Unit.

Materials and Method: : In this randomized clinical trial which was conducted in Intensive Care Unit in two hospitals in Qaen and Gonabad (2013), study population was the non-ventilated Cerebral Vascular Accident patients. 68 patients were selected through convenience sampling and then were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups. In intervention group, main family carers received necessary training about the manner of meeting and expected care before the intervention. They used this training regularly during the six days, twice daily.  Data collection tools were including the demographic form, monitoring device and researcher-made form for recording the physiologic parameters. Physiologic parameters were recorded through using the cardiac monitoring device before, during and after the meeting in two groups. Data analysis was done through using Fisher’s exact test, Independent T-Test and Repeated measures ANOVA and ANCOVA using SPSS 20.

Results: According to results, after controlling for confounding effect of age, systolic blood pressure (p = 0.01), mean arterial pressure (p = 0.005), respiratory rate (p = 0.02) and heart rate (p = 0.04) had a significantly reduction from the first day to sixth day after the meeting in intervention group in comparison with control group.

Conclusion: The results showed that the regular supportive meetings of families can adjust physiologic parameters of patients with CVA. It is recommended that the managers of intensive care units provide the necessary measures in order to supportive meetings of families.