The use of family conferences in the pediatric intensive care unit
Abstract Background: Data about pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) family conferences (FCs) are needed to enhance our understanding of the role of FCs in patient care and build a foundation for future research on PICU communication and decision making. Objective: The study's objective was to describe the use and content of PICU FCs. Design: The study design was a prospective chart review comparing patients who had conferences with those who did not, and a sub-analysis of patients with chronic care conditions (CCCs). Setting/subjects: The study setting was an academic PICU from January 2011 through June 2011. Measurements: Medical events under consideration were placement of tracheostomy or gastrostomy tube; initiation of chronic ventilation; palliative care involvement; use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, continuous renal replacement, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation; care limitation orders; death; length of stay; and discharge to a new environment. Results: From 661 admissions, we identified 74 conferences involving 49 patients. Sixty-four conferences (86%) were held about 40 patients with CCCs. Having a conference was associated with (p<0.05): length of PICU admission; palliative care involvement; initiation of chronic ventilation; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; death; discharge to a new environment; and care limitation orders. Twenty-nine percent of patients who had a new tracheostomy or gastrostomy tube placed had a conference. We identified two categories of discussion topics: information exchange and future management. Conclusions: Most identified FCs involved complex patients or patients who faced decisions affecting the child's quality of life or dying. For many patients who faced life changing decisions we did not identify a FC. Further research is needed to understand how to best utilize FCs and less formal conversations.
2013-12
Michelson KN; Clayman ML; Haber-Barker N; Ryan C; Rychlik K; Emanuel L; Frader J
Journal Of Palliative Medicine
2013
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2013.0284" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1089/jpm.2013.0284</a>
Bereavement follow-up: Listening and learning
bereavement;follow up;learning;Child;clinical article;conference abstract;consultation;diagnosis;Female;genetic transcription;Human;intensivist;Male;memory;nurse;staff;terminal care
Aims & Objectives: Providing family focussed care through lessons learned from bereavement follow-up. Methods RMCH is a tertiary PICU in UK with 750 admissions annually. Families of all patients who die in PICU are offered bereavement follow-up at 6-8 weeks. The meeting is attended by the parents, consultant intensivist and a family liaison nurse (recently appointed). As a service improvement project, these meetings have been routinely observed by a senior staff member using shadowing techniques (April 2017 onwards). Transcripts are recorded in a pre-designed field journal. Team debrief is held following meetings to identify recurrent themes to guide service improvement. Results 25 patients died between January-November 2017. 6 families attended bereavement follow-up. Families who attended had unanswered questions around care (pre-hospital/hospital) or were waiting to get the final postmortem /genetic test results. Two families declined as they were "happy with the care", three are awaiting follow-up dates and the remaining did not reply. To improve quality of discussions, team realised that prior interaction with parents to identify their objectives from the meeting is essential. Recurrent themes that emerged from shadowing technique included feedback around care (pre-hospital / in the hospital), communication gaps (during transfer of care, what to expect upon PICU admission, what happens after a child dies), making memories and wanting to know pending test results. Conclusions Families who have unanswered questions around care or diagnosis, tend to attend bereavement follow up. Shadowing technique has revealed what families want from end of life care and has helped to shape improvement in our service.
Subramanian G;Consterdine K;Ryan C
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
2018
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1097/01.pcc.0000537861.99545.54" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1097/01.pcc.0000537861.99545.54</a>