Background: Intensive care professionals (ICPs) have a key role in counselling adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients and their family members. The counselling provided to ICU patients and their family members can be described based on the content, implementation, benefits, and resources. Aims:The study had two specific aims: first, to assess ICPs' perceptions of the quality of counselling provided to ICU patients and their family members; and second, to explore which factors ICPs feel is associated with the quality of counselling. Design and Methods:A cross-sectional survey of ICPs working in adult ICUs in Finnish university hospitals. Data were collected using the Counselling Quality Instrument. The data were analysed by descriptive statistics and chi-square and t-test statistical methods.Results: A total of 182 ICPs returned the questionnaire, reflecting a response rate of 18.6%. Most of the respondents were nurses (97%) and the mean age was 42 years.The ICPs reported having adequate time for patient-(77%) and family-centered (73%) counselling, but only 47% felt that their units had the appropriate facilities.There were statistically significant differences between patient-and family-centered counselling and the ICP's self-assessed competence (p < .001), goal-oriented counselling (p < .001), and atmosphere during counselling (p < .001). ICPs' attitudes towards counselling impacted how these professionals assessed patients' and family members' confidence, along with patient recovery (p < .001).Conclusions: This study confirms that the provision of high-quality counselling has beneficial effects; however, it also indicates that there is a need for training that considers each ICP's professional experience and patient-and family-centered factors, which may differ from one another.Relevance to Clinical Practice: According to ICPs, the quality of counselling can be enhanced by empowering ICPs to improve counselling and providing appropriate ICU facilities for counselling, such as a private room for family members.

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Aims The study's aims were to (1) assess family members' perceptions of the quality of the counselling they received while visiting a loved one in an adult ICU and (2) identify factors that influence family members' perceptions of counselling quality. Design A cross‐sectional survey of visiting family members of adult ICU patients. Methods Family members (n = 55) at eight ICUs across five Finnish university hospitals completed a cross‐sectional survey. Results Family members assessed the quality of counselling in adult ICUs to be good. Factors associated with the quality of counselling were knowledge, family‐centred counselling, and interaction. Family members' ability to live normally was associated with understanding of the loved one's situation (ρ = 0.715, p < 0.001). Interaction was associated with understanding (ρ = 0.715, p < 0.001). Family members felt that intensive care professionals did not adequately ensure that they understood counselling‐related issues and that they lacked opportunities to give feedback, in 29% of cases, staff asked the family members whether they understood the counselling and 43% of family members had opportunities to offer feedback. However, the family members felt that the counselling they received during ICU visits was beneficial.