RUA: Analyzing Published Research Chamberlain College of Nursing

 Analyzing Published ResearchProblemCOVID-19 has indisputably altered previous societal normalcies and presented new challenges to the way we communicate and interact with each other. Although necessary for public protection, social distancing and occupancy restrictions have placed substantial strain on patient communication, understanding, and family involvement in an unprecedented time of uncertainty and adaptation. With novel changes implemented to stop the spread of the virus, health systems and facilities have created new tools and strategies to ensure family-centered care while circumventing limitations placed on physical presence. The impact the pandemic has had on patient and family engagement is the problem identified for my group’s topic, with the purposed question focusing on whether video conferencing is an effective way to increase patientand family engagement within a one-month timeframe. The shift from traditional in-person engagement to virtual and socially distanced communication strains trust, brings forth questions of information validity or authenticity, and ultimately hinders communication due to lack of nonverbal body language, perceived empathy, and environmental distraction.  According to a BMJ study published by Dr. Anne Gadermann examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family mental health, “when asked about stressors and worries, parents frequently reported mental health impacts, physical health threats related to the pandemic and relational andfinancial concerns” (Gadermann et al., 2021). The study concluded that, “being able to cope withuncertainty (59.2%), fear of a family member getting sick or dying (58.9%) and being separated from friends and family (58.7%) were the most frequent responses” (Gadermann et al., 2021). The use of video conferencing during a pandemic involves the use of tablets or computer deviceswith camera access (i.e., facetime, patient portals, Zoom, WebEx, Skype, etc.) to help with current social distancing and in-person visitation/occupancy restriction