Practitioners witness death on a regular basis in the intensive care unit. For that reason, one might think that they would be comfortable talking with patients and families about end-of-life issues. Ironically, this is not the case.
Studies show that ICU clinicians, while truly caring about their patients, are often uneasy talking about this subject. Studies have also found that families are increasingly unhappy with the care their loved ones receive while facing end-of-life in the ICU.
Inadequate clinician communication skills, lack of formal training about end-of-life issues, heightened emotions on the part of patients, families and caregivers, and vague understanding of medico-legal issues all serve to complicate this already charged and most challenging process.
This video is hosted by Mitchell Levy, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI, and Chair, Robert Wood Johnson Critical Care End of Life Work Group. The program features interviews with six thought leaders in compassionate care.
| J- Randall Curtis,
MD, MPH Associate Professor Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care University of Washington School of Medicine Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA |
Deborah J. Cook,
MD, MSc, FRCP(C) Professor, Department of Medicine & Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics Academic Chair, Critical Care Medicine McMasters University, Hamilton, Ontario |
| Kathleen A, Puntillo,
RN, DNSc, FAAN Director, Critical Care/Trauma Program Department of Physiological Nursing University of California, San Francisco |
John Luce, MD Associate Director, Medical/Surgical ICU San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA Professor of Medicine & Anesthesia University of California, San Francisco |
| Judith Nelson,
MD, JD Associate Director, Medical Intensive Care Unit Mount Sinai Medical Center Assistant Professor Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY |
Cynda Rushton,
DNSc, RN, FAAN Asst. Professor, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Ethics Coordinator, Pediatric Palliative Care Program Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD |
The program features a candid discussion, of the complex psychological, emotional and legal issues surrounding end-of-life care. It is meant to help ICU practitioners cultivate the compassionate skills needed to assist patients and loved ones.
From an educational
grant provided by
