Methods: A sample of 107 primary caregivers for patients in a medicine or surgical ICU of a medical center in northern Taiwan from May, 27. 2014 to June, 27, 2014 completed structured questionnaires: Primary Caregivers' Stress Perception Scale and Family-Centered Care for Intensive Care Unit-Mandarin，FFCS-ICU-M ".Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, t test, one-way ANOVA, and a multiple regression analysis.
Results: The results showed that the primary caregivers’ overall stress perceptions were inbetween “mild stress" and “moderate stress”, The most stressful item was “patient disease characteristics”, followed by “interpersonal relationship”, “perception in self”, and “ICU environment”. The item of satisfaction of care scored highest was "information sharing", followed by "collaboration", "respect", "empowerment," and "support". "Patient age" and "the availability of respite" had a significant relationship with caregivers’ overall stress. The "use of ventilator " and "the availability of respite" had a significant correlation with the overall satisfaction of care. The caregivers' overall stress and satisfaction had no significant correlation; however "the availability of support" item in the satisfaction of care and the “interpersonal relationship” and “perception in self” in the stress had a significant negative correlation. The prediction variable for primary caregivers’ stress was the "availability of respite". The prediction variables for primary caregivers’ satisfaction of care were the "availability of respite" and "use of ventilator".
Conclusion: The primary caregivers expressed the needs that someone can help them share the work of caring patient during hospitalization. It is important to provide respite care to relieve the primary caregiver’s stress and pay attention to the primary caregiver’s physiological, psychological, spiritual and social needs, which can enhance the primary caregiver’s satisfaction of care in the ICU.