Patient and family experiences of healthcare safety investigations: a meta-synthesis

Background/Aims There is limited documentation on family experiences of their involvement in healthcare investigations. The aim of this paper was to conduct a meta-synthesis of the experiences and perspectives of families involved in healthcare safety investigations following the death of a family member. Methods A systematic search of CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, Google Scholar and grey literature was conducted in March 2021. Qualitative studies exploring family experiences and perspectives of involvement in healthcare investigations were included. Studies were synthesised using a meta-ethnographic approach. Results Seven studies involving 323 participants were included. Five themes were identified: getting answers, compassionate communication, supporting families, experiencing investigations and preventing future incidents. Conclusions There is limited research available that considers family experiences of investigations in healthcare. Further research is required to understand these experiences. Implications for practice Understanding family experiences of healthcare investigations allows for further development of processes to involve families and patients in these investigations.