ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to consider family nursing in intensive care areas. I begin by discussing the appropriateness or otherwise of a family nursing approach to care in this type of setting. Research identifying the needs of families with a member in an intensive care unit will then be discussed. This leads to a case study based on the care of such a family, which is used to illustrate how the need for care can be assessed in order to plan appropriate interventions. This highlights both the advantages and the difficulties of a family nursing approach to care in this type of area. What is presented here portrays the stage of development in intensive care nursing in a particular unit at a set point in time. Through reflection on current practice, I have indicated ways in which the focus of care could be broadened to include the family unit.
