title: The "big picture": communicating with families about end-of-life care in intensive care unit.
abstract: This article presents the findings of a qualitative study investigating how critical care nurses include families in end-of-life care. The major theme, "Supporting the Families' Journey Through the Dying Process," illustrates how critical care nurses organize information to construct the "big picture" of the patients' deteriorating status and artfully communicate this to families.
authors.affiliation: Center for Bioethics and the School of Nursing at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liaschenko
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Conner-Von
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peden-McAlpine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D033262:Narration; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012944:Social Support; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D035502:Trust