- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Part 1.1 The intensive care unit
- Part 1.2 Communication
- Chapter 10 Effective teamwork in the ICU
- Chapter 11 Communication with patients and families in the ICU
- Chapter 12 Telemedicine in critical care
- Part 1.3 Training
- Part 1.4 Safety and quality
- Part 1.5 Governance
- Part 1.6 Research
- Part 1.7 Medico-legal and ethical issues
- Part 1.8 Critical illness risk prediction
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care
(p. 46) Communication with patients and families in the ICU
- Chapter:
- (p. 46) Communication with patients and families in the ICU
- Author(s):
Leslie P. Scheunemann
and Robert M. Arnold
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199600830.003.0011
Regular, consistent communication with families of intensive care unit (ICU) patients is important for family satisfaction, patient-centred decision-making, and reducing the emotional burden of the ICU stay on family members. In fact, the family meeting can appropriately be considered a core procedure of intensive care practice. Good communication requirements include the appropriate clinicians and family members, providing a quiet and undisturbed setting, and choosing appropriate goals for each meeting. Clinicians should strive to develop skills for listening, observing family dynamics, and responding to emotions. ICU administrators should consider building processes of care to promote regular, consistent communication and partnerships with interdisciplinary teams, such as ethics committees and palliative care that can supplement these skills.
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- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Part 1.1 The intensive care unit
- Part 1.2 Communication
- Chapter 10 Effective teamwork in the ICU
- Chapter 11 Communication with patients and families in the ICU
- Chapter 12 Telemedicine in critical care
- Part 1.3 Training
- Part 1.4 Safety and quality
- Part 1.5 Governance
- Part 1.6 Research
- Part 1.7 Medico-legal and ethical issues
- Part 1.8 Critical illness risk prediction
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care