Abstract: This study is a qualitative study carried out to determine the experiences and opinions of the relatives of patients treated in intensive care with the diagnosis of COVID-19 during the pandemic process. A qualitative study using inductive content analysis. The relatives of 14 patients testing COVID-19 positive and treated in the intensive care unit were included in the study. The data were collected through online interviews with patient relatives. After the interviews, the data were recorded and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. After completing the interviews with the relatives, 4 main themes and sub-themes were determined. Relatives of the patients expressed the importance of the patient in the intensive care unit in their lives as "congenital companion", "family elders", and " My mom!.
In our study, it was determined that the relatives of the patients experienced fear, uncertainty, and personal, pandemic-related anxiety due to the process since their patients were in the intensive care unit. In the study, the doctors of the patients who were treated with the diagnosis of COVID-19 in the general intensive care unit were interviewed and their phone numbers were obtained in order to talk to the relatives of the patients.

Keywords : COVID-19, intensive care units, nursing, patients, relatives.