Family Perceptions of Palliative Care and Communication in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Kristina Paré; Joanna Grudziak; Kyle Lavin; May-Britt Sten; Anneka Huegerich; Karl Umble; Emma Twer; Trista Reid

doi:10.1177/23743735211033095

Family Perceptions of Palliative Care and Communication in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit

J Patient Exp. 2021 Jul 14:8:23743735211033095. doi: 10.1177/23743735211033095. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Kristina Paré¹, Joanna Grudziak², Kyle Lavin³, May-Britt Sten⁴, Anneka Huegerich⁵, Karl Umble¹, Emma Twer², Trista Reid^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Gillings School of Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
² Department of Surgery, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
³ Palliative Care Program, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
⁴ Institute for Healthcare Quality Improvement, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
⁵ Surgical Intensive Care Unit, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Abstract

Few data exist on palliative care for trauma and acute care surgery patients. This pilot study evaluated family perceptions and experiences around palliative care in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) via mixed methods interviews conducted from February 1, 2020, to March 5, 2020, with 5 families of patients in the SICU. Families emphasized the importance of clear, honest communication, and inclusiveness in decision-making. Many interviewees were unable to recall whether goals-of-care discussions had occurred, and most lacked understanding of the patients' illnesses. This study highlights the significance of frequent communication and goals-of-care discussions in the SICU.

Keywords: communication; end-of-life care; qualitative methods; team communication.