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Perceptions of Quality of Communication in Family Interactions in Neurocritical Care
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  • Russell Stewart,
  • Kyle Hobbs,
  • Kristopher Dixon,
  • Roberto Navarrete,
  • Jannat Khan,
  • Mary Wren,
  • Mollie Canzona,
  • Aarti Sarwal
Russell Stewart
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville Campus

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Kyle Hobbs
Intermountain Medical Center
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Kristopher Dixon
Wake Forest School of Medicine
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Roberto Navarrete
University of Michigan
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Jannat Khan
Rush University Medical Center
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Mary Wren
Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine
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Mollie Canzona
Wake Forest University
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Aarti Sarwal
Wake Forest School of Medicine
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Abstract

Objective: To investigate concordance in perceptions of communication among participants in family discussions and assess the importance of different domains of communication in a neurocritical care unit. Methods: Prospective observational study conducted in a neurocritical care unit. Our study involved family discussions regarding plan of care for patients admitted to the unit. All participants completed a survey. The first 4 questions rated understanding of the discussion and general satisfaction; the remaining questions were open-ended to assess quality of communication by the physician leading the discussion. Responses were scored and compared among participants using a Likert scale. A difference of < 1 in scores among participants was rated as concordance, while > 2 was designated as discordance. All open-ended responses were classified into six domains. Results: We observed 35 family discussions. Questions 1-3 yielded 99 cross-comparisons per question (total of 297 compared responses). Most responses were either “Strongly Agree” or “Agree”; with “Neutral” or “Disagree” responses being more prevalent in Question 2. Overall concordance of responses between participants was 88%. Education was the most frequently cited domain of communication in response to open-ended questions. Among family and neutral observers, empathy was frequently listed, while providers more often listed family engagement. Conclusion: Overall, satisfaction was high among providers, families, and the observer regarding quality of communication during family discussions in the unit. Perceptual differences emerged over whether this communication impacted healthcare decision-making during that encounter.
24 Nov 2020Submitted to Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice
25 Nov 2020Submission Checks Completed
25 Nov 2020Assigned to Editor
Dec 2021Published in Health Science Reports volume 4 issue 4. 10.1002/hsr2.411