title: Families: from difficult to exceptional--one team's journey.
abstract: Families of patients need support when the hospital stay becomes more difficult than anticipated. Healthcare providers also need assistance when caring for them. A continuous improvement team, Caring for Exceptional Families, was initiated to develop a system with tools and interventions for a proactive multidisciplinary approach to identifying families at risk for negative behavior during the hospital experience. The process and outcomes of this team are described.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. baker.marilyn@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Marilyn Kay
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miers
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sulla
authors.forename: Heilia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vines
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004645:Empathy; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008910:Minnesota; D009341:Negativism; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014218:Triage