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The Experiences of Family Members of Covid-19 Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: A Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis Protocol Publisher



Esmaeili M ; Abdi K ; Dwivedi S ; Asgari P
Authors

Source: Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice Published:2026


Abstract

Many patients were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Family members were frequently separated from their loved ones, which could lead to unpleasant experiences and psychological distress. Particularly during this delicate and challenging period for patients and family members, the family plays vital roles in supporting the patient’s recovery. Therefore, strategies to address families’ needs holistically must also be considered. Understanding the experiences of family members of COVID-19 patients in the ICU unit is the objective of this review. by means of an organized and qualitative meta-synthesis. This systematic review of qualitative studies and meta-synthesis will be conducted based on searches of the academic databases Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Embase, Scopus, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Theses and Dissertations Global, Google Scholar, See-in-the-Dark (Scintific Information Database), and Magiran. Two research team members will be involved in all screening, review, data extraction, and quality assessment of studies. A third reviewer will consult with the research team and arbitrated with the two teams. Thematic synthesis steps will include acquiring familiarity with data, development of a thematic framework, indexing the data to identify themes and codes, charting the data, and mapping and interpreting the data. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist will be used to appraise the quality of the included studies. Confidence in the meta-synthesis findings will be assessed by applying the GRADE-CERQual approach. The review will be reported in accordance with the ENTREQ guidelines. Copyright © 2026 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.