How to Involve Families in Hospital Care: Development, Content Validation, and Feasibility of a Concise Family Assessment Framework

BACKGROUND: Family members play a vital role in supporting patients during hospitalization, yet their involvement is often insufficiently recognized. Existing family assessment tools are typically developed for community or long-term care settings and are too complex or time-intensive for hospital use. A concise and feasible assessment framework is needed to facilitate the effective involvement of family members in patient care and to support healthcare professionals in acknowledging, aligning and collaborating with families during hospitalization.

AIM: To develop, validate and evaluate the feasibility of a family assessment framework with relevance for use in hospital settings.

METHODS: A four-phase sequential study was conducted to develop and test a family assessment framework. The framework was informed by a review of existing tools, validated through a two-round Delphi study with international experts, refined in focus groups with family members and pilot-tested by nurses to assess feasibility.

RESULTS: The family assessment framework includes essential discussion items at admission-such as family structure, functioning and needs-along with required professional attitudes, skills and contextual conditions. Experts and families confirmed its clarity and completeness. Nurses viewed it as a flexible, supportive conversation guide rather than a checklist. Its use enhanced recognition of caregiving roles and clarified mutual expectations. Implementation requires workflow adjustments, role definitions and attention to communication skills.

CONCLUSION: The validated and feasible family assessment framework structures and facilitates family involvement in hospital care through essential discussion items between patients, family members and healthcare professionals, thereby improving the quality of care.