Perspectives on Implementing a Communication Facilitator Intervention From a Critical Care Setting.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare communication
• Implementation science
• Critical care medicine

Background:

• Critically-ill patients and families face communication challenges in the ICU and during care transitions.
• Communication facilitators may offer a solution to these challenges.
• Understanding clinician perspectives is crucial for successful intervention implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify facilitators and barriers to implementing a communication intervention from the perspective of clinicians.
• To explore how communication facilitators impact patient and family communication in the ICU.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 clinicians in an intensive care unit.
• Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants.
• The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) guided data collection and analysis.

Main Results:

• Facilitators like relative advantage, communication, and critical incidents aided implementation.
• Barriers included limited access to knowledge/information, relational connections, and clinician beliefs.
• Clinicians valued facilitators for providing continuity, support during transitions, and bridging communication, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Limited intervention information and differing beliefs about facilitator roles hindered implementation.

Conclusions:

• Future studies should focus on strategies to enhance early connection between facilitators and clinicians.
• Improving role clarity and collaboration can optimize the effectiveness of communication interventions.
• Addressing identified barriers is essential for successful implementation of communication facilitator interventions.