Page 1 of 3 Where is the Family in designing Family Focused Interventions? Implications for Family Nursing Research and Practice in Critical Care Settings Frank Kiwanuka 1 *, Sayed Shoaib Ghafari 2 , Ali Mohammad Alokozay 3 and Shah Jahan Shayan 4 1 Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland 2 Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Afghanistan 3 School of Nursing, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Afghanistan 4 Orthodontics Department, School of Dentistry, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Afghanistan *Corresponding author: Frank Kiwanuka, Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Finland. Received Date: December 18, 2019 Published Date: January 17, 2020 ISSN: 2643-6892 DOI: 10.33552/IJNC.2020.02.000540 Iris Journal of Nursing & Care Poetry Copyright © All rights are reserved by Frank Kiwanuka This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License IJNC.MS.ID.000540. Overview Healthcare transitions are ongoing globally. Systems are shifting away from traditional care delivery approaches to more client- centered approaches. These changes are mainly due to population dynamics and the need for cost effective healthcare systems. Furthermore, some parts of the world are beginning to realize the burden of an aging population whilst other parts of the world realizing a better-informed population [1]. Such changes have led to notable advocacy for approaches that consider involvement of the patient and their family in healthcare delivery [2]. Concepts emphasizing family involvement in care include family nursing, Family-Centered Care (FCC) [3], Person-Centered Care [4], People- Centered Care and Individual-Centered Care (WHO, 2007). Such models are aimed at fostering involvement of families in design, coordination and delivery of care. Introduction Engaging the family in the designing phase of healthcare interventions has been linked to more acceptance and appropriateness of such interventions. Globally various organizations have endorsed these approaches. The World Health Organizations advocates for end user involvement as an approach to coordinate care services and foster inclusive decision making (WHO, 2007). In the United States, the Institute of Medicine endorses such approaches as an arena through which quality care can be achieved (“Crossing the Global Quality Chasm: Improving Health Care Worldwide: Health and Medicine Division,” n.d.) [5]. The Australian Commission on safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) [6] sees mutually beneficial partnerships between the healthcare team, patients and families as an innovative approach to planning, delivery and essential component of health care evaluation (ACSQHC, 2010). Whilst the former concepts have gained ground in healthcare discourse today, much remains to be done to engage the family in the designing phase of family-focused interventions in healthcare. Noteworthy, this is so pronounced in critical care settings which are faced with more demand and expansion globally. The Abstract Whilst concepts advocating for family involvement in healthcare have globally gained ground in healthcare discourse today, much remains to be done to engage the family in the designing phase of family-focused interventions in critical care settings. The challenge for the future is to broaden the scope and application of interventions while considering the family as partners in designing such interventions. This article presents systematic approaches that are beneficial in planning actions for the family with the family relevant to critical care settings as well as other care settings. The initial step in designing interventions is consultation with the family. Apart from eliciting information from the family through consultations, the family should also be allowed to create interventions for the family in critical care settings. Lastly, preparation of interventions should consist of education with family members and identification of family member champions to assist with implementation. Keywords: Family nursing; Family health care; Nursing intervention; Evidence-based nursing; Systematic review; Family member; Intensive care unit; Family nursing interventions