Families: the newest members of the ICU multidisciplinary team

Abstract

We have started inviting the relatives of our patients to remain present during our multidisciplinary team ICU ward round. The aim is to improve their understanding of the complex activity on an ICU and reduce inconsistencies in communication. In the UK it is becoming expected practice that patient satisfaction is an endpoint we should be measuring and improving [1]. Assessing this on the ICU is often very difficult due to the confounding factors inherent to critical illness. We often seek assent from families for procedures and to provide some history as a surrogate to patient interview. We think the care we provide should encompass both the patient and their family. This is already accepted practice in the paediatric ICU setting [2]. Communication between family and clinical staff, ideally on a daily basis, is clearly imperative and a systematic approach to improve this is good practice. Increasing insight into relatives' perceptions and expectations will aid the delivery of high-quality care. We believe that involving relatives in the ward round will be of benefit for us in our professional relationships with them and improve their understanding during an extremely difficult time.