Critical Care Nursing Work Environment and Family Satisfaction

중환자실 간호사 근무환경과 환자가족 만족도의 관계

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the nursing work environment and family satisfaction in Korean intensive care units (ICUs). Methods: The study participants were 190 critical care nurses and 133 family members of ICU patients who were randomly chosen from four of the hospitals located in B city. The Korean Nursing Work Environment Scale was used to assess the work environment of critical care nurses. Family satisfaction was measured with the Korean version of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. Results: Critical care nurses reported moderate satisfaction with their work environment. The mean score for family satisfaction was 3.59 on a 5-point scale, and satisfaction with information provision received the highest score. Family satisfaction was higher in hospitals where the critical care nurses evaluated their work environment positively. Conclusion: This study revealed that the work environment of nurses affects family satisfaction in ICUs. Therefore, it is necessary to explore various methods of improving the critical care nursing work environment in order to provide the highest possible level of nursing care.