Making Family-Centered Care for Adults in the ICU a Reality

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Family Systems
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Family-centered care (FCC) is recognized for its benefits in healthcare settings.
• Implementation of FCC in intensive care units (ICUs) remains challenging and inconsistent.
• Existing literature and guidelines offer a foundation for FCC in ICUs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the integration of family-centered care (FCC) into intensive care unit (ICU) practices.
• To present a systemic framework for understanding and implementing FCC in the ICU.
• To outline recommended best practices for FCC in the ICU.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature and previous guidelines on FCC in the ICU.
• Development of a systemic framework to conceptualize FCC within the ICU environment.
• Integration of healthcare provider, patient, and family experiences to inform best practices.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive overview of the merits and challenges of FCC in ICUs.
• A systemic framework to guide the conceptualization and implementation of FCC.
• A series of recommended best practices for FCC in the ICU, balancing stakeholder needs.

Conclusions:

• Adoption of a systemic framework and best practices can improve FCC implementation in ICUs.
• FCC in the ICU requires balancing the needs of patients, families, and healthcare teams.
• Healthcare leaders and teams are encouraged to adopt and adapt these FCC best practices for their specific contexts.