Factors Influencing Care Satisfaction among Family Members of Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

Purpose : This study aimed to identify the key factors influencing care satisfaction among family members of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods : This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. Participants included 153 family members of patients admitted to the ICU of a university-affiliated hospital in South Korea. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires between July and August 2025 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. Results : Family care satisfaction was significantly positively correlated with health literacy (r=.29, p ＜ .001), nurse communication style (r=.72, p ＜.001), and the hospital physical environment (r=.50, p ＜.001), but not with disease severity. Multiple regression analysis identified nurses’ affiliative communication style (β=.42, p ＜.001) and informative communication style (β=.33, p =.001) as significant predictors of family care satisfaction (adjusted R2=.63, F=54.28, p ＜.001). Conclusion : These findings underscore the importance of informative and affiliative nursing communication in enhancing family care satisfaction among family members of patients in the ICU. Future studies should develop and evaluate intervention programs designed to improve ICU nurses’ informative and affiliative communication competencies.