title: Family experience survey in the surgical intensive care unit.
abstract: The experience of critical care is stressful for both patients and their families. This is especially true when patients are not able to make their own care decisions. This article details the creation of a Family Experience Survey in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) to capture and improve overall experience. Kolcaba's "Enhanced Comfort Theory" provided the theoretical basis for question formation, specifically in regards to the four aspects of comfort: "physical," "psycho-spiritual," "sociocultural" and "environmental." Survey results were analyzed in real-time to identify and implement interventions needed for issues raised. Overall, there was a high level of satisfaction reported especially with quality of care provided to patients, communication and availability of nurses and doctors, explanations from staff, inclusion in decision making, the needs of patients being met, quality of care provided to patients and cleanliness of the unit. It was noted that 'N/A' was indicated for cultural needs and spiritual needs, a chaplain now rounds on all patients daily to ensure these services are more consistently offered. In addition, protocols for doctor communication with families, palliative care consults, daily bleach cleaning of high touch areas in patient rooms and nurse-led progressive mobility have been implemented. Enhanced comfort theory enabled the opportunity to identify and provide a more 'broad' approach to care for patients and families.
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Twohig
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA; Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manasia
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA; Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bassily-Marcus
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA; Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oropello
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gayton
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaffney
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA; Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Roopa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kohli-Seth
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Critical care; Enhanced comfort theory; Family and patient satisfaction; Survey