0000000000326867
AUTHOR
Corinne Quesnel
The concept of a surrogate is ill adapted to intensive care: Criteria for recognizing a reference person
IF 2.445; International audience; Purpose: In the intensive care unit (ICU), caregivers may find it difficult to identify a suitable person in the patient's entourage to serve as a reference when there is no official surrogate.Methods: We developed a 12-item questionnaire to identify factors potentially important for caregivers when identifying a reference person. Each criterion was evaluated as regards its importance for the role of reference. Responses were on a scale of 0 (not important) to 10 (extremely important). We recorded respondent's age, job title, and number of years' ICU experience. The questionnaire was distributed to all health care professionals in 2 French ICUs.Results: Amo…
How patient families are provided with information during intensive care: A survey of practices
Abstract Background Many critically ill patients are incapable of receiving information or expressing their own opinion on treatment decisions due to the severity of their disease, or because they are under sedation. French legislation requires that when a physician proposes further tests or treatment for a patient, this proposal should be accompanied by clear and honest information that is appropriate in view of the circumstances and the patient's state of health, and the physician must obtain the patient's consent before proceeding. However, this is often impossible in critical care. We evaluated whether provisions for surrogates are adequate in meeting information needs of patients and f…