Experiences of Thai Family Members of Patients with COVID-19 who Died in Intensive Care Units: A Phenomenological Study.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated family distress during end-of-life care, especially in the intensive care unit. Resource constraints, limited hospital capacity, and increased economic strain hindered timely access to care while amplifying public fear and social isolation. While some studies have i...
| Published in: | Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research Vol. 30; no. 3; pp. 738 - 760 |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
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Thailand Nursing & Midwifery Council
Jul-Sep2026
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=195469684&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 195469684 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 19068107 B7IM jtl: Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research issn: 19068107 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Jul-Sep2026 vid: 30 iid: 3 pid: 26313 pub: Thailand Nursing & Midwifery Council artinfo: ui: 195469684 195469684 195469684 10.60099/prijnr.2026.280445 195469684 ppf: 738 ppct: 22 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Experiences of Thai Family Members of Patients with COVID-19 who Died in Intensive Care Units: A Phenomenological Study. aug: au: Keawsuttha, Watcharee Chaiviboontham, Suchira Pokpalagon, Piyawan affil: RN, MSN, Master's student, Master of Nursing Science Program (Adult and Gerontological Nursing), Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand sug: subj: COVID-19 Death Psychosocial Factors Intensive Care Units Extended Family Psychosocial Factors Family Attitudes Evaluation Stress, Psychological Anxiety Patient-Family Relations Grief Human Male Female Adult Middle Age Funding Source Phenomenological Research Thailand Qualitative Studies Bereavement Thematic Analysis Communication Powerlessness Uncertainty Burial Practices Culture Coping Digital Technology Mental Health Family Centered Care Nursing Role Compassion Support, Psychosocial Spirituality Psychological Distress Referral and Consultation Semi-Structured Interview Decision Making, Family Time Factors Aged Interviews Purposive Sample Quality of Health Care Descriptive Research Snowball Sample Questionnaires Data Analysis Software Adult: 19-44 years Middle Aged: 45-64 years Aged: 65+ years Male Female ab: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated family distress during end-of-life care, especially in the intensive care unit. Resource constraints, limited hospital capacity, and increased economic strain hindered timely access to care while amplifying public fear and social isolation. While some studies have investigated family experiences across regions worldwide, little is known about these experiences within Asian cultural contexts, particularly in Southeast Asia. This qualitative study, grounded in Husserl's descriptive phenomenology, explored the experiences of Thai family members of patients with COVID-19 who died in intensive care units. Ten bereaved family members were recruited via snowball sampling on online platforms through a digital poster. Participants who met the eligibility criteria were video recorded during semi-structured online interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological method, which provides a systematic process for moving from signif icant statements to formulated meanings, theme clusters, and an essential structure of the phenomenon. This approach enabled an in-depth understanding of Thai family members' lived experiences of the death and dying of a loved one to COVID-19 in the ICU, with rigor ensured in accordance with Guba and Lincoln's criteria. The analysis revealed six themes: 1) broken and disrupted communication; 2) living with uncertainty; 3) striving for involvement in patient care amid powerlessness; 4) eternal separation without a f inal goodbye; 5) disrupted funeral rituals and cultural practices; and 6) the journey toward healing after loss. The f indings underscore the need for clear communication, flexible family involvement supported by technology, and early mental health monitoring to strengthen family-centered and bereavement care in epidemic ICU contexts. Nurses play a key role in providing timely and consistent information, coordinating family engagement through digital contact, and offering compassionate support during restricted visitation. The f indings also highlight the importance of culturally and spiritually responsive nursing care aligned with Thai beliefs and practices. In addition, nurses should screen for psychological distress, provide bereavement support, and facilitate timely referrals to prevent complicated grief. Collectively, these implications support the development of flexible, family-centered nursing protocols that can be effectively implemented during pandemics and other infectious disease crises. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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