Efficacy of a Communication Toolkit to Optimize Palliative Care Communication in the Surgical Intensive Unit

Data demonstrates patients benefit from the experience of specialty palliative care providers for advance care planning and prioritizing quality of life, regardless of diagnosis or stage of illness. Despite these benefits, many intensive care units (ICUs) show low utilization of palliative care. The...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kathryn Cary, Aubrey Place, Marta McCrum, Joanna Grudziak, Lauren McGuire
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Beryl Institute 2024-11-01
Series:Patient Experience Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pxjournal.org/journal/vol11/iss3/8
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841554105386926080
author Kathryn Cary
Aubrey Place
Marta McCrum
Joanna Grudziak
Lauren McGuire
author_facet Kathryn Cary
Aubrey Place
Marta McCrum
Joanna Grudziak
Lauren McGuire
author_sort Kathryn Cary
collection DOAJ
description Data demonstrates patients benefit from the experience of specialty palliative care providers for advance care planning and prioritizing quality of life, regardless of diagnosis or stage of illness. Despite these benefits, many intensive care units (ICUs) show low utilization of palliative care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a bedside communication toolkit to improve communication between family members and caregivers of surgical ICU patients and the ICU team, particularly in the context of medical updates and decision-making. A pilot bedside communication tool was completed by fifty family members of trauma and emergency general surgery (EGS) patients. Participants then completed a survey to provide feedback on the toolkit. The majority of family members felt the toolkit helped them to formulate questions for the team and agreed they were more informed as a result of the toolkit. The majority disagreed the toolkit was emotionally upsetting to read through. The perceived benefit by family members/decision makers of surgical ICU patients offers many opportunities for further investigation and integration of the toolkit into practice in the ICU and beyond. A communication toolkit may improve communication between patient providers and family members, particularly in key medical decision-making discussions.
format Article
id doaj-art-7688a9f9cccc4b7284fa9efd6cb99b8b
institution Kabale University
issn 2372-0247
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher The Beryl Institute
record_format Article
series Patient Experience Journal
spelling doaj-art-7688a9f9cccc4b7284fa9efd6cb99b8b2025-01-08T20:21:43ZengThe Beryl InstitutePatient Experience Journal2372-02472024-11-0111310.35680/2372-0247.1898Efficacy of a Communication Toolkit to Optimize Palliative Care Communication in the Surgical Intensive UnitKathryn CaryAubrey PlaceMarta McCrumJoanna GrudziakLauren McGuireData demonstrates patients benefit from the experience of specialty palliative care providers for advance care planning and prioritizing quality of life, regardless of diagnosis or stage of illness. Despite these benefits, many intensive care units (ICUs) show low utilization of palliative care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a bedside communication toolkit to improve communication between family members and caregivers of surgical ICU patients and the ICU team, particularly in the context of medical updates and decision-making. A pilot bedside communication tool was completed by fifty family members of trauma and emergency general surgery (EGS) patients. Participants then completed a survey to provide feedback on the toolkit. The majority of family members felt the toolkit helped them to formulate questions for the team and agreed they were more informed as a result of the toolkit. The majority disagreed the toolkit was emotionally upsetting to read through. The perceived benefit by family members/decision makers of surgical ICU patients offers many opportunities for further investigation and integration of the toolkit into practice in the ICU and beyond. A communication toolkit may improve communication between patient providers and family members, particularly in key medical decision-making discussions.https://pxjournal.org/journal/vol11/iss3/8patient and family-centered carequantitativepalliative medicinedecision-makingcommunicationpatient and family satisfaction
spellingShingle Kathryn Cary
Aubrey Place
Marta McCrum
Joanna Grudziak
Lauren McGuire
Efficacy of a Communication Toolkit to Optimize Palliative Care Communication in the Surgical Intensive Unit
Patient Experience Journal
patient and family-centered care
quantitative
palliative medicine
decision-making
communication
patient and family satisfaction
title Efficacy of a Communication Toolkit to Optimize Palliative Care Communication in the Surgical Intensive Unit
title_full Efficacy of a Communication Toolkit to Optimize Palliative Care Communication in the Surgical Intensive Unit
title_fullStr Efficacy of a Communication Toolkit to Optimize Palliative Care Communication in the Surgical Intensive Unit
title_full_unstemmed Efficacy of a Communication Toolkit to Optimize Palliative Care Communication in the Surgical Intensive Unit
title_short Efficacy of a Communication Toolkit to Optimize Palliative Care Communication in the Surgical Intensive Unit
title_sort efficacy of a communication toolkit to optimize palliative care communication in the surgical intensive unit
topic patient and family-centered care
quantitative
palliative medicine
decision-making
communication
patient and family satisfaction
url https://pxjournal.org/journal/vol11/iss3/8
work_keys_str_mv AT kathryncary efficacyofacommunicationtoolkittooptimizepalliativecarecommunicationinthesurgicalintensiveunit
AT aubreyplace efficacyofacommunicationtoolkittooptimizepalliativecarecommunicationinthesurgicalintensiveunit
AT martamccrum efficacyofacommunicationtoolkittooptimizepalliativecarecommunicationinthesurgicalintensiveunit
AT joannagrudziak efficacyofacommunicationtoolkittooptimizepalliativecarecommunicationinthesurgicalintensiveunit
AT laurenmcguire efficacyofacommunicationtoolkittooptimizepalliativecarecommunicationinthesurgicalintensiveunit