ArticleJournal of advanced nursing2026
'Being an Outsider' and 'Being an Insider': A Focused Ethnography of Family Members' Visitation Experiences in an Adult ICU.
Article in Journal of advanced nursing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- 'Being an Outsider' and 'Being an Insider': A Focused Ethnography of Family Members' Visitation Experiences in an Adult ICU.Journal of advanced nursing · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimsTo explore how the restricted visitation policy impacts family members' visitation experiences and perceptions in an adult intensive care unit (ICU).
designFocused ethnography.
methodsData collection included 39 observation sessions (totalling 65.3 h), 19 semi-structured interviews with family members, and document analysis of policies relevant to ICU visitation. Fieldwork was conducted in a general adult ICU at a tertiary hospital in China from April 2021 to December 2021. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
resultsFamily visitation was represented by 'being an outsider' and 'being an insider.' 'Being an outsider' illustrates that the restricted visitation policy operated as a structural mechanism constructing the ICU as the staff's territory, positioning families as outsiders by limiting their access, information, and involvement in patient care. 'Being an insider' captures how family members constructed the waiting area as a socially meaningful family space where they reclaimed presence and formed a supportive community.
conclusionFamily visitation was shaped by the intersection of structural constraints, culturally embedded family roles, and relational dynamics among families. Restricted visitation policies reinforced family members' powerlessness and limited their involvement. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: The findings highlight the need to critically reconsider restricted visitation policies. Flexible, context-sensitive visitation approaches that take into account cultural norms and family roles may better support family involvement in ICUs. IMPACT: The study contributes theoretically informed and culturally grounded insights into how the restricted visitation policies function as active structural constraints on family members' visitation experiences. It supports global efforts to develop inclusive, family-centred ICU visitation practices that recognise the structural and relational needs of family members. REPORTING
methodThe Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines were followed. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.
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