This site presents information for hosptials and critical care-givers to help them make their work more family-centered.

Family-Centered Critical Care: A Practical Approach to Making It Happen

Submitted by admin on Sat, 12/29/2007 - 23:13.

Authors:

Henneman, Elizabeth A.; Cardin, Suzette

Source:

Critical Care Nurse, Volume 22, Issue 6, p.12-19 (2002)

URL:

http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/22/6/12

Keywords:

care delivery

Abstract:

The needs of family members of critically ill patients are well established: the need for information, the need for reassurance and support, and the need to be near the patient. Despite a wealth of evidence supporting these basic needs, many critical care units continue to struggle with implementing or maintaining family-centered critical care. Family-centered care moves beyond a theoretical recognition of the centrality of patients’ family members in healthcare. A family-focused unit views a patient’s family as the unit to be cared for and organizes care delivery around the patient’s family, as opposed to the more traditional patient-centered model.