Communication with patients' families in the intensive care unit: A point prevalence study

We aimed to describe point of care communication encounters with patients' families in centers with open visitation practices. Cross-sectional one-day point prevalence study in 14 Canadian adult intensive care units (ICUs) located in 7 academic and 7 community hospitals with open family visitation policies. ICU bedside nurses working on a randomly selected weekday completed a survey reporting all observed communication between providers and patients' families. Family point of care communication encounters were measured for 146 of 159 patients (92%) admitted to the study ICUs. Most patients had family (98%) with the majority observed visiting on the study date (73%). Of patients with family (n = 143), direct in-person communication occurred 71% of the time, either via participation in rounds (23%), family meetings (24%), and/or informal updates (71%). 43% (n = 62) of families had direct communication with a physician or nurse practitioner. Nurses provided the largest portion of informal bedside updates (83%, n = 85) and supplemented family communication with phone calls (22%, n = 31). There was no communication contact for 13% (n = 19) of families. ICUs adopt multiple ways of communicating with family members of critically ill patients. Significant interactions occur outside of traditional family meetings, in a less formal and more frequent fashion. Our study supports development of tools to support best practices within contemporary communication paradigms to support provider, patients and family needs. •Contemporary ICU family communication is varied in approach to meet family needs.•Family communication has evolved to include more frequent and informal encounters.•Rounds, updates, and phone calls complement family meetings for communication.