Does Culture Influence the Needs of Critical Care Families?

Purpose: This study explores ICU patient\u27s family member needs, particularly Vietnamese and Latino families. Design: Convenience sampling at 24 bed ICU in acute care community hospital serving ethnically diverse population. Methods: Non-experimental survey with pretest-posttest design using Demographic sheet, Critical Family Needs Inventory (CCFNI), and Needs Met Inventory (NMI). Information pamphlets were distributed. Data analysis was by ethnic groups using measures of central tendency and descriptive statistics. Findings: CCFNI results indicate family members of all ethnicities experience the same priority of needs; support and information are top two needs. English, Spanish and Vietnamese pamphlets met information needs of the majority of the recipients