title: Informed consent in the intensive care unit: the experiences and expectations of patients and their families.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the awareness of intensive care unit patients and their next of kin (NoK) about invasive procedures and their expectations of informed consent for procedures in the ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  A written survey of patients and their NoK in a tertiary, university-affiliated ICU, using multiplechoice questions, Likert scales and comments to generate semiquantitative and qualitative data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one ICU patients and 69 NoK completed the survey. Inclusion criteria were unplanned ICU admission, ICU length-of-stay > 24 hours, English speaking and competent to consent to participate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proportion of procedures respondents were aware had occurred during ICU admission; satisfaction with information received; preferred method of receiving information and giving consent; and expectations of when procedural consent is required.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients and NoK were unaware of many procedures performed during their admission. Respondents correctly identified 49% (95% CI, 45%-53%) of procedures performed during the patient's ICU admission. Despite this, most patients (80%; 95% CI, 69%-91%) and NoK (94%; 95% CI, 89%-100%) were satisfied with information provided about procedures. Over half of respondents (55%; 95% CI, 46%-64%) only expected consent for procedures that were "risky or not routine". About one-quarter (27%; 95% CI, 23%-31%) expected to give consent before every procedure and 15% (95% CI, 11%-18%) expected no procedural consent process. Patients and NoK strongly preferred a verbal rather than written consent process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest there is a limited degree of support for routine procedural consent from ICU patients and their NoK.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. lucy.modra@austin.org.au.
authors.forename: Lucy J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Modra
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Graeme K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilton
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D032962:Consent Forms; D003657:Decision Making; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D055815:Young Adult