Background:We investigated the criteria that hospitalized patients in intensive care units(ICUs)deem important when designating relatives who are best qualified to interact with the caregiving staff.Methods:We conduct...Background:We investigated the criteria that hospitalized patients in intensive care units(ICUs)deem important when designating relatives who are best qualified to interact with the caregiving staff.Methods:We conducted an exploratory,observational,prospective,multicenter study between March 1,2018,and October 31,2018,within two ICUs.A 12-item questionnaire was distributed to patients in the ICUs by the investigating physicians.Patients were considered eligible if they had a good understanding of the French language and if they had not officially designated surrogates before ICU admission.Results:Seventy-one patients whose average age was 63.9±17.3 years,of whom 21(29.5%)were females,completed the questionnaire.The average Charlson comorbidity score was 2.5±2.4,and the average Simplified Acute Physiology Score(SAPS II)was 39.8±16.5.The main etiology was respiratory infection(40.8%),followed by sepsis(23.9%).The most important criteria identified by patients when selecting reference persons were a good knowledge of the patient’s wishes and values,an emotional attachment to the patient,and being a family member.Conclusion:Our findings reveal that ICU patients considered the following criteria to be critical when designating reference persons:knowledge of their wishes and the existence of emotional and family attachments.展开更多
文摘Background:We investigated the criteria that hospitalized patients in intensive care units(ICUs)deem important when designating relatives who are best qualified to interact with the caregiving staff.Methods:We conducted an exploratory,observational,prospective,multicenter study between March 1,2018,and October 31,2018,within two ICUs.A 12-item questionnaire was distributed to patients in the ICUs by the investigating physicians.Patients were considered eligible if they had a good understanding of the French language and if they had not officially designated surrogates before ICU admission.Results:Seventy-one patients whose average age was 63.9±17.3 years,of whom 21(29.5%)were females,completed the questionnaire.The average Charlson comorbidity score was 2.5±2.4,and the average Simplified Acute Physiology Score(SAPS II)was 39.8±16.5.The main etiology was respiratory infection(40.8%),followed by sepsis(23.9%).The most important criteria identified by patients when selecting reference persons were a good knowledge of the patient’s wishes and values,an emotional attachment to the patient,and being a family member.Conclusion:Our findings reveal that ICU patients considered the following criteria to be critical when designating reference persons:knowledge of their wishes and the existence of emotional and family attachments.