An Integrated Framework for Effective and Efficient Communication with Families in the Adult Intensive Care Unit

Seaman, Jennifer B.; Arnold, Robert M.; Scheunemann, Leslie P.; White, Douglas B.

doi:10.1513/annalsats.201612-965oi

Cited by 54 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Care practitioners must apply standardized and agreed communication approaches with family members of deceased patients and above all for those who died with brain-death criteria, especially [16]. Seaman J.B. and colleagues in Annals ATS (2017) suggest that the goals of clinician-family communication should be diversified and concern different aspects [17]. We very much share the elements discussed by these authors and we comment on some of them that seem relevant and in line with our choices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Family-Centered Care to Improve Family Consent for Organ Donation

Bocci¹,

Prestifilippo²,

D’Alò³

et al. 2018

Organ Donation and Transplantation - Current Status and Future Challenges

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The need for organ donation has increased over time, but the shortage of available donors is the major limiting factor in transplantation. Organ donation refusal from relatives of potential donors with brain death significantly reduces organ availability. We report a brief analysis about family conflicts in decision-making and causes for refusing donation; moreover, we describe new family-centered strategies in the intensive care unit (ICU) and our systematic communication approach between medical staff and patients' relatives. In 2016 we conducted a single-center, non-randomized, controlled and before and after study in our ICU, an 18-bed intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital. We compared the rate of consent for organ donation before and after the introduction of the new communication approach. The application of a new communication approach between medical staff and relatives of brain-dead patients was associated with a significant increase in the rate of consent to donation. The positive results of the 3-year period 2013-2015 have been confirmed in the 2-year period 2016-2017. Our results highlight the importance of empathy and counselor support of relatives in the ICU.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Family-Centered Care to Improve Family Consent for Organ Donation

Bocci¹,

Prestifilippo²,

D’Alò³

et al. 2018

Organ Donation and Transplantation - Current Status and Future Challenges

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“…Welcome the interlocutor's emotional response (fear, sadness, anxiety, anger), both through silence and by allowing the interlocutor to cry or make verbal outbursts. 42 Psychological alarm bells: if you notice very intense emotional reactions or fatigue in adapting to the clinical situation (negation, aggression), it is advisable to offer psychological support and make yourself available to activate it.…”

Section: Listeningmentioning

confidence: 99%

How to communicate with families living in complete isolation

Mistraletti

Gristina

Mascarin

et al. 2020

BMJ Support Palliat Care

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ImportanceDuring the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a complete physical isolation has been worldwide introduced. The impossibility of visiting their loved ones during the hospital stay causes additional distress for families: in addition to the worries about clinical recovery, they may feel exclusion and powerlessness, anxiety, depression, mistrust in the care team and post-traumatic stress disorder. The impossibility of conducting the daily meetings with families poses a challenge for healthcare professionals.ObjectiveThis paper aims to delineate and share consensus statements in order to enable healthcare team to provide by telephone or video calls an optimal level of communication with patient’s relatives under circumstances of complete isolation.Evidence reviewPubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts and Reviews of Effectiveness and the AHCPR Clinical Guidelines and Evidence Reports were explored from 1999 to 2019. Exclusion criteria were: poor or absent relevance regarding the aim of the consensus statements, studies prior to 1999, non-English language. Since the present pandemic context is completely new, unexpected and unexplored, there are not randomised controlled trials regarding clinical communication in a setting of complete isolation. Thus, a multiprofessional taskforce of physicians, nurses, psychologists and legal experts, together with some family members and former intensive care unit patients was established by four Italian national scientific societies. Using an e-Delphi methodology, general and specific questions were posed, relevant topics were argumented, until arriving to delineate position statements and practical checklist, which were set and evaluated through an evidence-based consensus procedure.FindingsTen statements and two practical checklists for phone or video calls were drafted and evaluated; they are related to who, when, why and how family members must be given clinical information under circumstances of complete isolation.Conclusions and relevanceThe statements and the checklists offer a structured methodology in order to ensure a good-quality communication between healthcare team and family members even in isolation, confirming that time dedicated to communication has to be intended as a time of care.

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“…Ein Intensivaufenthalt ist für Patienten und ihre Familien eine belastende Ausnahmesituation. Deshalb ist es wichtig, Betroffene und Angehörige als Menschen zu verstehen, die nicht nur klinische Informationen benötigen, sondern auch emotionale Unterstützung [3] [4]. Um die Belastungen der Familien zu reduzieren, empfiehlt die aktuelle Literatur über eine strukturierte familienzentrierte Betreuung.…”

Section: Sind Wir Bereit Für Die Zusammen Arbeit Mit Familien?unclassified