Nurse Attitudes: A Descriptive Study of Families' Importance in Inpatient Nursing Care.

Background: Family support and patient outcomes are linked to nurses' attitudes toward families' importance in patient care.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize inpatient oncology nurses' attitudes toward families' importance in nursing care and determine characteristics related to these attitudes.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used with a single set of measurements from inpatient oncology nurses at a comprehensive cancer center in the southeastern United States. Nurse characteristics were summarized using frequency and percentages. Time variables were summarized using median and interquartile range. There were five primary outcomes.

Findings: Nurses considered the role of the family important, but level varied by FINC-NA item. Characteristics related to family importance overall included hospital unit and general approach to care.