Families are the lifeblood of critical care. Except, sometimes we don’t do a good job with them. A recent John Hopkins study showed that:
ICU providers kept the patients body covered only 30% of the time
ICU providers explained things understandably only 26% of the time
ICU patients and families really listened only 26% of the time
ICU teams acknowledged the patient as a person only 25% of time
ICU-RESPECT: An index to assess patient and family experiences of respect in the intensive care unit (Journal of Critical Care 36 (2016) 54–59)
In the Viner ICU, we can do better!
Patients are extremely vulnerable when they come to us and it our duty to serve and protect them.
Our Commandments are below:
1. Practicing in the Viner Intensive Care Unit is a privilege and not a right.
2. We expect families to be updated daily and to be treated with courtesy and respect.
3. Any questions or concerns, please let your attending physician or ICU leadership know.
The Clinical and Economic Value of Caring
Stephen Trzeciak, MD