Daily Telephone Call During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perceptions of Families and Providers.
Journal
American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
ISSN: 1937-710X
Titre abrégé: Am J Crit Care
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 9211547
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 01 2022
01 01 2022
Historique:
pubmed:
23
9
2021
medline:
11
1
2022
entrez:
22
9
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
In intensive care units (ICUs), the quality of communication with families is a key point in the caregiver-patient-family relationship. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital visits were prohibited, and many ICUs implemented a daily telephone call strategy to ensure continuity of communication with patients' families. To assess how family members and health care providers perceived this communication strategy. The study was conducted in a 45-bed ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic. Communication with families consisted of a single daily telephone call from the senior physician in charge of the patient to the patient's surrogate decision maker. Satisfaction was qualitatively assessed via an anonymous online questionnaire with open-ended questions. Participants completed 114 questionnaires. Forty-six percent of surrogate decision makers stated that the key medical messages were understandable, but 57% of other family members expressed that the frequency of information delivery was insufficient. Fifty-six percent of the physicians described the practice as functional for the organization of the unit. Among health care providers other than physicians, 55% felt that not having to interact with families decreased their emotional load and 50% mentioned saving time and the absence of task interruptions as positive aspects. Fixed-time, daily telephone calls in the ICU allowed satisfactory transmission of information between physicians and surrogate decision makers, as perceived by both parties. However, the telephone-based communication strategy could still be improved.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
In intensive care units (ICUs), the quality of communication with families is a key point in the caregiver-patient-family relationship. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital visits were prohibited, and many ICUs implemented a daily telephone call strategy to ensure continuity of communication with patients' families.
OBJECTIVE
To assess how family members and health care providers perceived this communication strategy.
METHODS
The study was conducted in a 45-bed ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic. Communication with families consisted of a single daily telephone call from the senior physician in charge of the patient to the patient's surrogate decision maker. Satisfaction was qualitatively assessed via an anonymous online questionnaire with open-ended questions.
RESULTS
Participants completed 114 questionnaires. Forty-six percent of surrogate decision makers stated that the key medical messages were understandable, but 57% of other family members expressed that the frequency of information delivery was insufficient. Fifty-six percent of the physicians described the practice as functional for the organization of the unit. Among health care providers other than physicians, 55% felt that not having to interact with families decreased their emotional load and 50% mentioned saving time and the absence of task interruptions as positive aspects.
CONCLUSION
Fixed-time, daily telephone calls in the ICU allowed satisfactory transmission of information between physicians and surrogate decision makers, as perceived by both parties. However, the telephone-based communication strategy could still be improved.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34549261
pii: 31582
doi: 10.4037/ajcc2022797
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
77-81Informations de copyright
©2022 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.