Although there is an increase in the visibility offamilies in hospitals, there was little known about the meanings, patterns, and day-to-day experience offamilies staying with hospitalized relatives. The purpose of this qualitative, ethnographic study was to describe vigilance, defined as the family member's experience of staying with a relative in the hospital setting. Eight adult family members with relatives on two acute care neurology units were purposively selected to participate in the study. Data were collected using informal, semistructured interviews and participant observation. Qualitative analysis provided a meaningful grouping of the data pieces into five categories of meaning: commitment to care, emotional upheaval, dynamic nexus, transition, and resilience. These categories of meaning provide a description of vigilance and enhance the theoretical understanding of this care phenomenon.
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