| Learning Objective #1: Describe the importance of family presence in the critical care setting | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Describe the role of multidisciplinary partnerships in the provision of family-focused care |
Family members of critically ill patients have identified as most important the need to receive information, reassurance and support and to be near the patient. A philosophy of patient and family centered care recognizes the role of each member of the multidisciplinary team in facilitating these processes. The patient/family unit must be understood if the best possible care is to be provided and all staff must be educated to include the needs of families in the plan of care.
While many important needs of families can be met through interventions such as providing information regularly on the patients' well-being and offering reassurance and flexible visitation, other family needs are more complex and require a planned multidisciplinary approach. Consultation and referral to colleagues such as the Nurse Manager, Social Worker, Pastoral Care, Clinical Nurse Specialist or Physician is necessary in order to meet these needs. In addition, a waiting room information pamphlet describing the intensive care unit [ICU] and the team roles and responsibilities can be enormously helpful. A satisfaction survey can also be influential in refining our processes.
The roles of the clinical nurse specialist and the social worker overlap in interesting ways in critical care. When these interactions are characterized by regular communication and ongoing collaboration, the opportunities to promote a supportive patient and family centered environment are maximized. In this presentation, a clinical nurse specialist and a social worker will share insights into how their roles link for the benefit of critically ill patients and their families in a university-affiliated institution. Strategies employed to ensure that a patient and family focus is integral to the day-to-day decision making in the critical care setting will be shared.
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