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Intensive care unit visiting and family communication during the COVID-19 pandemic : a UK survey
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Boulton, Adam J., Jordan, Helen, Adams, Claire E, Polgarova, Petra, Morris, Andrew Conway and Arora, Nitin (2021) Intensive care unit visiting and family communication during the COVID-19 pandemic : a UK survey. Journal of the Intensive Care Society . doi:10.1177/17511437211007779 ISSN 1751-1437.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/17511437211007779
Abstract
Background:
Frequent visiting and communication with patients’ families are embedded within normal ICU practice, however the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged this, and it is unclear how ICUs are managing. We aimed to investigate how NHS ICUs are approaching family communications and visiting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods:
An electronic snapshot survey was delivered between 16th April and 4th May 2020 and was open to NHS ICUs. Replies from 134 individual ICUs with COVID patients were included.
Results:
All reported that visiting was more restricted than normal with 29 (22%) not allowing any visitors, 71 (53%) allowing visitors at the end of a patient’s life (EOL) only, and 30 (22%) allowing visitors for vulnerable patients or EOL. Nearly all (n = 130, 97%) were updating families daily, with most initiating the update (n = 120, 92%). Daily telephone calls were routinely made by the medical (n = 75, 55%) or nursing team (n = 50, 37%). Video calling was used by 63 (47%), and 39 (29%) ICUs had developed a dedicated family communication team. Resuscitation and EOL discussions were most frequently via telephone (n = 129, 96%), with 24 (18%) having used video calling, and 15 (11%) reporting discussions had occurred in person. Clinicians expressed their dissatisfaction with the situation and raised concerns about the detrimental effect on patients, families, and staff.
Conclusions:
COVID-19 has resulted in significant changes across NHS ICUs in how they interact with families. Many units are adapting and moving toward distant and technology-assisted communication. Despite innovative solutions, challenges remain and there may be a role for local and national guidance.
Item Type: | Journal Article | |||||||||
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Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School | |||||||||
SWORD Depositor: | Library Publications Router | |||||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of the Intensive Care Society | |||||||||
Publisher: | Sage Publications Ltd. | |||||||||
ISSN: | 1751-1437 | |||||||||
Official Date: | 6 April 2021 | |||||||||
Dates: |
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DOI: | 10.1177/17511437211007779 | |||||||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | |||||||||
Publication Status: | Published | |||||||||
Access rights to Published version: | Open Access (Creative Commons) | |||||||||
Description: | ||||||||||
Contributors: |
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